Thomas Szasz: From social behaviourist to dramaturgic-existentialist
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65828/zxsxgv35Keywords:
Szasz, Mead, social behaviourism, dramaturgic-existentialism.Abstract
This essay traces Thomas Szasz's intellectual development from the social behaviourism of George Herbert Mead to a dramaturgic-existentialism which he used to reinforce and extend his critique of mental illness. As Mead's model resembles existentialism in several ways, Szasz used both perspectives to overcome aporia in each.
Complete access to the full archive of articles is available with SEA membership. Existing members: please log in with your membership password to view full text. Non-members can buy a single article or issue by registering an account on this website, then selecting a padlocked full text button to purchase.
References
Aboulafia, M. (1986). The Mediating Self: Mead, Sartre and self-determination. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Athens, L. (2002). 'Domination': The blind spot in Mead's analysis of the social act. Journal of Classical Sociology. 2(1): 25-42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/14695x02002001672
Camus, A. (1961). Resistance, Rebellion and Death. Trans. O'Brien, J. New York: Knopf.
Church, J. (2019). Myths, projections, and overextensions: The conceptual landscape of Thomas Szasz. In Haldipur, C.V., Knoll, J.L. & Luft, E. v.d., (eds). Thomas Szasz: An appraisal of his legacy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 124-138. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198813491.003.0011
Counter, P. & Spillane, R. (2017). On the legacy of Thomas Szasz: A reiteration of The Myth of Mental Illness and response to recent criticism. Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry. 19 (3): 150-160. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1891/1559-4343.19.3.150
Haldipur, C.V., Knoll, J.L. & Luft, E. v.d. (eds). (2019). Thomas Szasz: An appraisal of his legacy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198813491.001.0001
Hanson, K. (1986). The Self Imagined: Philosophical reflections on the social character of psyche. New York: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Hetherington, H. (2002). Comprehension and apprehension: Lucidity and existence tension. Existential Analysis: Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis. 13 (2): 221-236. DOI: https://doi.org/10.65828/h17p4686
Hoeller, K. (1997). Thomas Szasz's history and philosophy of psychiatry. Existential Psychology and Psychiatry. 23: 6-69. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0957154x12466634
Hoeller, K. (2012). The existential 'therapy' of Thomas Szasz. In Barnett, L. & Madison, G. (eds.) Existential Therapy: Legacy, vibrancy and dialogue. London: Routledge. 127-139. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203147658
Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, Self and Society: From the standpoint of a social behaviorist. Morris C. W. (ed). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226516608.001.0001
Nietzsche, F. (1974). The Gay Science. Trans. Kaufmann, W. New York: Vintage Books.
Pfuetze, P. E. (1961). Self, Society, Existence: Human nature and dialogue in the thought of George Herbert Mead and Martin Buber. New York: Harper Torchbooks.
Piaget, J. (1932). The Moral Judgment of the Child. Trans. Gabain, M. Glencoe, Ill: The Free Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315009681
Rosenthal, S. B. & Bourgeois, P. L. (1991). Mead and Merleau-Ponty. New York: State University of New York Press.
Sartre, J-P. (1948). Existentialism and Humanism. Trans. Mairet, P. London: Methuen.
Sartre, J-P. (1962 [1939]). Sketch for a Theory of the Emotions. Trans. Mairet, P. London: Methuen.
Sartre, J-P. (1956). Being and Nothingness: An essay of phenomenological ontology. Trans. Barnes, H. New York: Philosophical Library. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429434013
Schaler, J. A. (ed.) (2004). Szasz Under Fire: The psychiatric abolitionist faces his critics. Chicago: Open Court. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5860/choice.42-4685
Schaler, J. A., Lothane, H. Z. & Vatz, R. E. (eds.) (2017). Thomas S. Szasz: The man and his ideas. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351295048
Shalin, D. N. (1984). Romantic antecedents of Meadian social psychology. Symbolic Interaction. 7: 43-65. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/si.1984.7.1.43
Spillane, R. (2018). Mental illness: Fact or myth? Revisiting the debate between Albert Ellis and Thomas Szasz. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. 36: 343-61. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-018-0290-x
Spillane, R. & Martin, J. (2018). What Went Wrong with Psychology: Myths, metaphors and madness. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Stadlen, A. (2003). A poor model for those in training: The case of Thomas Szasz. Existential Analysis: Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis. 14 (2): 213-244. DOI: https://doi.org/10.65828/t8px0q23
Stadlen, A. (2014). Szasz and the unreliable reader. Existential Analysis: Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis. 25(2): 338-354.
Szasz, T. (1957). Pain and Pleasure: A study of bodily feelings. New York: Basic Books.
Szasz, T. (1961). The Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a theory of personal conduct. New York: Paul B. Hoeber. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2218648
Szasz, T. (1965a). The Ethics of Psychoanalysis: The theory and method of autonomous psychotherapy. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Szasz, T. (1965b). Portrait of a secular moralist. New Republic. 27 November: 32-33.
Szasz, T. (1973). The Second Sin. Garden City NY: Doubleday Anchor. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003751939
Szasz, T. (1976). Heresies. Garden City NY: Doubleday.
Szasz, T. (1979a). The Theology of Medicine: The political-philosophical foundations of medical ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Szasz, T. (1979b). The Myth of Psychotherapy: Mental healing as religion, rhetoric and repression. Oxford: Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvfjd13n
Szasz, T. (1988). Pain and Pleasure: A study of bodily feelings. Rev. ed. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press.
Szasz, T. (1996). The Meaning of Mind: Language, morality and neuroscience. Westport, CN: Praeger.
Szasz, T. (2003). The secular cure of souls: 'analysis' or dialogue? Existential Analysis: Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis. 14 (2): 203-212. DOI: https://doi.org/10.65828/ab3h2765
Szasz, T. (2004). Faith in Freedom: Libertarian principles and psychiatric practices. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.
Szasz, T. (2007). The Medicalization of Everyday Life. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/book.142475
Szasz, T. (2010). The Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a theory of personal conduct. New York: Harper Perennial.
Szasz, T. S. & Hollender, M. H. (1956). A contribution to the philosophy of medicine: The basic models of the doctor-patient relationship. AMA Archives of Internal Medicine. 97 (5): 585-592. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1956.00250230079008
Vatz, R. E. & Weinberg, L. S. (eds.) (1983). Thomas Szasz: Primary values and major contentions. Buffalo: Prometheus Books. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351295048
Vatz, R. E. & Weinberg, L. S. (1997). Critiques of Szaszian criticism of psychiatry: Non-engagement and irrelevant theses. Review of Existential Psychology and Psychiatry. 23 (1,2,3): 161-173.
Wolf, D. (2002). Nietzsche's psychopathology. Existential Analysis: Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis. 13 (2): 297-308. DOI: https://doi.org/10.65828/18ggnv15
