ioned by vain
fear, procured by the prevalency of
he Melancholy
Humour: We divide this Disease into Melancholy Cephalick,
and Hypocondriack.HONS 182 Neuroethics – Fall 2007
December 4, 2007
1. The new field of neuroethics
a. William
Safire is credited with coining the term neuroethics.
b. We will use this book
c.
We will start by discussing this paper
d. For those who are interested, here are some other resources
2. Mind-brain relations
a.
Basics of brain function
b. Linking
mental and neural function
i. Outline
on the brain and volition
ii. Tom Wolfe, Sorry, But Your Soul Just Died
iii. Schall
JD. On building a bridge between brain and behavior. Annu Rev
Psychol. 2004;55:23-50.
c.
Decision making
i. Schall JD. Decision making. Current Biology 2005. 15:R9-R11.
ii. Schall JD. Neural basis of deciding, choosing and acting. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2001 Jan;2(1):33-42.
d.
Free will
i. Is
God a Taoist By Raymond Smullyan, 1977
3.
Mental Illness
a. History & definitions
History of Mental
Illness presentation
There
is a
double madnesse, corporall and spirituall, The
obiect of the
former is Reason: of the latter, Religion. That
obsesseth the
braine, this the Heart. That expects the helpe of
the
naturall Physitian, this of the Mysticall. The difference is;
this spirituall
madnesse may insanire cum ratione, cum Religione numquam.
The
morally-franticke may be mad with reason,
neuer with
Religion.
Physitians
haue
put a difference betwixt Phrenzy, and Madnesse:
imagining madnesse
to be onely an infection and perturbation of the formost Cell
of the head;
whereby Imagination is hurt: but the Phrenzy to extend
further, euen
to offend the reason and memory; 35 and is neuer
without a feuer.
Galen cals it an inflammation of the braines, or filmes
thereof, mixed
with a sharpe feuer. My purpose needes me not to be curious of
this
distinction.
To
vnderstand
the force of madnesse, we must conceiue in the brayne
three
ventricles; as houses assign'd by Physitians for three dwellers, Imagination,
Reason, and Memorie. According to these three internal senses
or faculties, there be three kinds of Phrensies or Madnesses.
1.
There are
some mad, that can rightly iudge of the things they see, as
touching imagination
& phantasie: but for cogitation and reason,
they
swarue from naturall iudgement.
2.
Some being madde,
are not deceiu'd so much in common cogitation and reason;
but
they erre in Phantasie and Imagination.
3
There are
some, that be hurt in both imagination and reason,
and they
necessarily therewithall doe lose their memories. That whereas in
perfect,
sober, and well composed men, Imagination first conceiues the
formes
of things, and presents them to the reason to iudge; and reason
discerning them, commits them to Memorie to retaine: in mad-men
nothing is conceiu'd aright, therefore nothing deriu'd, nothing
retayn'd.
For spirituall
relation, we may conceiue in the soule; vnderstanding, reason,
will.
1. The vnderstanding apprehendeth things according to their
right
natures. 2. The Reason discusseth them, arguing their
fitnesse or
inconuenience, validity or vanity: and examines their desert of
probation or
disallowance, their worthinesse eyther to be receyued or reiected. 3.
The Will
hath her particular working, and embraceth, or refuseth the obiects,
which the vnderstanding
hath propounded, & the reason discoursed.
36 Spirituall
madnesse is a deprauation, or almost depriuation of all these
faculties, quoad
coelestia; so farre as they extend to heauenly things. 1. For vnderstanding,
the Apostle sayth. [Note: 1. Cor. 2. 14. ] The
naturall man
perceyues not spirituall things, because they are spiritually discerned.
And the very [Note: 2. Cor. 4. 4. ] minds of vnbeleeuers
are blinded
by the god of this world. 2. For Reason: it iudgeth vanities
more worthy, of prosecution when they are absent, of embracing when
they salute
vs. [Note: Malac. 3. 14. ] It is in vaine to serue the
Lord: and
what profite is it, that wee haue kept his ordinance, or walked
mournefully
before him? This is the voyce of distracted cogitation, and of reason
out of the wits. [Note: Vet. 15. ] Wee call the proud
happy; and the
workers of wickednesse are set vp: yea they that tempt God are
deliuered.
3. For Will; it hath lost the propensenesse to good, and
freedome of
disposing it selfe to well doing: neyther hath it any power of it owne,
to
stoppe and retarde the precipitation to euill.
As corporall
madnesse drawes a thicke obfuscation ouer these lights,
so spirituall
corrupts and peruerts them: that as they are strangers to
heauen, quoad
intellectum, so at last, they become fooles in natural
things, quoad
rationem. [Note:
To
omit our Schismatickes,
and Separatists, who are truly called, Protestants out
of their
wittes, lyable to the imputation of Phrenzy: the Papists
are certainely madmen, dangerous mad-men; madde in
themselues, dangerous to vs: and would happily be confined to some
locall Bedlam,
lest their spirituall lunacy doe vs some hurt.
Madde in
themselues: for who but mad-men
would forsake the fountaine of liuing waters, [Note:
Ier. 2.
13. ] the word of truth, and pinne their faith
and saluation
on the Popes sleeue? a Prelate, [Note: Luk. 13. 1. ] a
Pilate,
that mingles their owne bloud with their 70 sacrifices.
Thinke how
that inchanting cup of fornications preuailes ouer their
besotted
soules; and you will say they are not lesse then madde. Come
you into
their
Surely
Mad-men
are dangerous without restraint. Papists are ready instruments of
commotion,
peruersion, treason.
Author: Adams,
Thomas, fl. 1612-1653.
Title: Mystical bedlam, or the vvorld of mad-men. By Tho:
Date: 1615
Bibliographic name / number: STC (2nd ed.) / 124
No. of pages: [6], 82 p.
Copy from: Cambridge University Library
Reel position: STC / 818:01
David
Irish, Practitioner in Physick, His Advice concerning Melancholy, Phrensie,
and Madness.
The Melancholy Passion is
a doating of Reason, occaioned by vain
fear, procured by the prevalency of
he Melancholy
Humour: We divide this Disease into Melancholy Cephalick,
and Hypocondriack.
A Cephalick is when the
disorder has its Residence
bout the lower
part of the Abdomen, the Brain is
hiefly
affected, which being disturbed, Men frame
trange Fancies,
and monstrous Idea's of things; all Melancholy people are
extraordinary
fearful, sad, and
nactive.
According to the order I have
observed in diviing Melancholy,
it remains that I now speak of that
hich is called Hypocondriack,
which, for the most
art, renders
those Afflicted therewith, more stupid
han any other
sort doth, insomuch that they are
any times
depriv'd of all Sense and Motion: This
ort proceeds
from Flegm obstructing the Hypocondria
nd Spleen.
Hypocrates
asserts, that the Soul in this Distemper
distinctly
affected with
the weightier matter withn, and so neglects
the Bodies Motions, by reason of
he Brains
stupidity through the aforesaid Humour.
Melancholy
differs
from Phrensie and Madness, tho[...] in some respects they are near a Kin, for they
all disturb
the Reason; they differ thus, a Phrensie has always a Burning
Fever;
those that are taken with thi Disease are so
Mad, that they furiously fall upon an body, and it
is strange and admirable they do no destroy
themselves, so exorbitant is the Malady; and such was their Infirmity
spoken of
in the Scripture, Mat. 8.28.24. They spare not their Parents,
nor [...]eir best Friends,
but are often most of all invete[...]te against them, and 'tis no wonder, since they
bid [...]fiance to
self-Preservation (the oldest Principle of
ature) that
they often attempt to lay violent hands [...]on themselves, therefore great care ought to be [...]ken of them: They
are usually Untractable, Talk[...]ve, with strange Gestures, as Jumping, Singing,
ancing, and
Antickly tossing their Heads, writhing [...]eir Bodies, and generally look Surly and
Haughty,
sometimes
they will seem
Mild.
The common symptoms which attend
most Mad [...]ople, are constant Watchings, and a prodigious [...]rculean
strength; they can endure the greatest ,
Hungar and Stripes,
without any sensible harm;
sometimes
Swear,
Shout, and on a suddain make [...]ange Noises; they play Apish tricks,
often
pulling [...]eir
own Hair, tearing their Cloaths, breaking their [...]ndows, &c. they are strong and never tired out,
often
muttering
something to themselves as if it
about
great matters;
they are sometimes too erry, and
often too Sad, they sometimes Laugh, and [...]etimes Cry,
and are fearful where no fear ought
be,
and on a suddain
become hasty, frappish, angry, [...]sterous,
breaking
their Chains and Fetters, beating
pieces
Walls and Doors,
nay, every thing that [...]nds in their reach to be sure goes to wrack when
surly
Fit is upon them;
tho' they sleep little
or
Night, yet are they
incredibly strong; they
very
turbulent in their Anger,
showing much
,
brawling, shouting,
and frame dreadful
by
reason of the fiery
strength of the Animal
,
which darts
vigorously thro' all the Pores of
distempered
Body; hence
also it is that they endure the severest Cold (tho' stark
Naked) with
the least concern: Some
say they are not sensible of Cold, &c. because (as they
imagine) the
Soul is so bus[...] within, that it does not attend to what is of
less concern
without, neither do they scarce perce[...] any inconvenience by such things as much annoy
others·
sometimes they are as Sav[...]e as Wild Beasts, thei Eyes look
stern, big, and attentive, and they are eve[...] contriving some Mischief, because the Animàl
Spiri pass
furiously through the Brain, by reason of whic they are
sometimes so Mad as to reproach and Cur[...] themselves and others, at such times they ought
be
Fetter'd.
Madness
often derives its Origen from the extrvagant height
of some Passion, such as Fear, Lo[...] Ambition,
Covetuousness, Care, Study, &c. Helm[...] says, it proceeds from Agony, Fear, Wrath,
En[...] Ambition, Love,
Pride, great Study, Care, Shame, &c.
The Mad people are frequently solicitous about Maters above
their reach, or about business that no wa concern them. Lastly,
Some are prone to Vene[...] delighting much in Company, &c.
The Melancholy person
walks in osbcure places, sad and heavy, oft museth, imagining and speaki[...] many ridiculous
things, but usuall fixes upon
trifle;
he will not be
perswaded from what he fancie
or tho' he
fancy himself a King, a Prince or Proph[...] or indeed any thing else, he will industriously
im[...]tate the Person or
Character he puts upon himse[...]. Some that are afflicted with Melancholy
are weary
their
Lives, have ill
thoughts, talk idly, or witho[...] any order or coherence; they also take pleasure
Solitude,
are subject to
Weep, and are often tak[...] with a suddain dislike of what they formerly
affected;
they are so
jealous, that they think eve[...] body cheats and lays snares for them; they are
afr[...] of being Poysoned,
their sleep is but little, and
…
Author: Irish, David.
Title: Levamen infirmi: or, cordial counsel to the sick and
diseased Containing I. Advice concerning physick, and what a physician
ought to
be; with an account of the author's remedies, and how to take them. II.
Concerning melancholy, frensie, and madness; in which, amongst other
things, is
shew'd, how far they differ from a conscience opprest with the sense of
sin,
and likewise how they differ among themselves. III. A miscellany of
pious
discourses, concerning the attributes of God; with ejaculations and
prayers,
according to scripture rule. Likewise an account of many things which
have
happen'd since the creation. To which are added several predictions of
what may
happen to the end of the world. The whole being enrich'd with physical,
pious,
moral & historical observations, delightful to read, &
necessary to
know. By D. Irish, practitioner in physick and surgery, now dwelling at
Stoke,
near
Date: 1700
Bibliographic name / number: Wing (2nd ed.) / I1036
No. of pages: [8], 127, [1] p.
Copy from: British Library
Reel position: Wing / 2187:21
Other
resources:
http://www1.nmha.org/about/history.cfm
http://www.seattle.wa.lwv.org/pubs/mentalhealth/lwvmhhistory2.html
http://www.nami.org/
The National Alliance of Mental Illness is a great website to poke around for information about different mental illnesses and treatments. It also has some cool links to other mental illness related topics which we won't talk get to talk about in our class.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mental-illness/HQ01079
This Mayo Clinic site explores one doctor's way of defining mental illness. It addresses a few topics we have already discussed in class.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/mentalhealthanddisorders/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier
This link gives access to a video about a family coping with a daughter's mental illness. The video reminds us of the profound effect mental illness has on the individual and their loved ones. I thought it was pretty interesting.
