Levels of Analysis in Psychopathology. Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives

Introduction

Part I. Neuroscience, Mechanisms and RDoC:

1. Introduction Peter Zachar
2. Rethinking psychiatric disorders in terms of heterarchical networks of control mechanisms William Bechtel
3. A typology of levels of mechanisms involved in the etiology of psychiatric illness Kenneth S. Kendler
4. Introduction Kenneth S. Kendler
5. Wrangling the matrix: lessons from the RDoC working memory domain Robert M. Bilder
6. Brain and mind in psychiatry? Presuppositions of cognitive ontology Georg Northoff
7. Introduction Kenneth S. Kendler
8. Tackling hard problems: neuroscience, treatment, and anxiety Daniel S. Pine
9. Comments on Daniel S. Pine Kenneth F. Schaffner

 

Part II. Phenomenology, Biological Psychology, and the Mind-Body Problem:

10. Introduction Josef Parnas
11. Body self-awareness: multiple levels or dynamical gestalt? Shaun Gallagher
12. Commentary on Gallagher 'Body self-awareness: multiple levels or dynamical gestalt?' Jan-Willem Romeijn
13. Introduction Josef Parnas
14. Can psychiatry dispense with appeal to mental causation? John Campbell
15. Folk psychology and Jaspers' empathic understanding: a conceptual exercise? Peter Zachar
16. Introduction Peter Zachar
17. Phenomenology of a disordered self in schizophrenia: example of an integrative level for psychiatric research Josef Parnas and Maja Zanderson
18. Who is the psychiatric subject? Shaun Gallagher
19. Introduction Kenneth S. Kendler
20. Challenges in the relationships between psychological and biological phenomena in psychopathology Gregory A. Miller and Morgan E. Bartholomew
21. Non-reductionism, eliminativism, and modularity in RDoC: thoughts about a progressive mechanistic science Peter Zachar

 

Part III. Taxonomy, Integration and Multiple Levels of Explanation:

22. Introduction Josef Parnas
23. Descriptive psychopathology: a manifest level of analysis, or not? Peter Zachar
24. Psychiatry without description Josef Parnas
25. Introduction Peter Zachar
26. Should psychiatry be precise? Reduction, big data, and nosological revision in mental health research Kathryn Tabb
27. Commentary on should psychiatry be precise? Reduction, big data, and nosological revision in mental health research Robert M. Bilder
28. Introduction Peter Zachar
29. Psychiatric classification: an a-reductionist perspective Jan-Willem Romeijn and Hanna van Loo
30. Double black diamond Eric Turkheimer
31. Introduction Peter Zachar
32. Approaches to multi-level models of fear: the what, where, why, how, and how much? Kenneth F. Schaffner
33. Schaffner on levels and selves William Bechtel
34. Introduction Kenneth S. Kendler
35. Levels: what are they and what are they good for? James Woodward
36. Levels of analysis in Alzheimer's disease research Stephan Heckers
37. Introduction Peter Zachar
38. The impact of faculty psychology and theories of psychological causation on the origins of modern psychiatric nosology Kenneth S. Kendler
39. Commentary on 'The impact of faculty psychology and theories of psychological causation on the origins of modern psychiatric nosology' Gregory A. Miller
40. Introduction Kenneth S. Kendler
41. Psychiatric discourse: scientific reductionism for the autonomous person Stephan Heckers
42. Comment on Stephan Heckers, 'Psychiatric discourse: scientific reductionism for the autonomous person' John Campbell
43. Introduction Josef Parnas
44. Entity focus: applied genetic science at different levels Eric Turkheimer
45. Comment on 'Entity focus: applied genetic science at different levels' by Eric Turkheimer Kathryn Tabb.

Levels of Analysis in Psychopathology draws research from psychiatry, philosophy, and psychology to explore the variety of explanatory approaches for understanding the nature of psychiatric disorders both in practice and research. The fields of psychiatry and clinical psychology incorporates many useful explanatory approaches and this book integrates this range of perspectives and makes suggestions about how to advance etiologic theories, classification, and treatment. The editors have brought together leading thinkers who have been widely published and are well-respected in their area of expertise, including several developers of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and authors of the US National Institute of Mental Health's Research Domain Criteria Project (RDoC). Each main chapter has a commentary provided by one of the other authors and an introduction written by one of the editors to create an accessible, interdisciplinary dialog.

 

Combines psychology, philosophy, and psychiatry to explore the variety of explanatory approaches for understanding the nature of psychiatric disorders
Provides commentaries within each main chapter to create an interdisciplinary dialogue
Brings together leading thinkers who have been widely published and involved in the creation of the DSM and RDoC framework

 

Reviews & endorsements

'The editors continue to deepen the analysis of the conceptual basis of psychopathological science through their astutely-framed, thematic book. They have assembled a diverse and expert group of contributors in considering the range of sciences relevant to psychopathology. This volume offers an outstanding pedagogy, including introductory overviews, and insightfully-chosen commentaries throughout.' John Z. Sadler, The Daniel W. Foster Professor of Medical Ethics and Distinguished Teaching Professor, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

 

'This excellent book combines substantive expertise with philosophical and methodological insights to provide high-level perspectives on essential topics in psychiatry. The editors focus on a topic of central importance: the complicated relation between the biological, psychological, and social levels of analysis that are required for a full understanding of mental disorders.' Denny Borsboom, University of Amsterdam

 

'The editors have assembled a wide range of chapters from multiple disciplines, encompassing Anglo-American and European Continental philosophies, to integrate research and clinical perspectives. No matter how well-versed a reader may be on the topic, with the breadth of expertise represented in the volume, they will learn something new.' Derek Bolton, King's College London, and Honorary Consultant Clinical Psychologist, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust's Child and Adolescent Anxiety Service

 

'This is a state-of-the-art conversation between leading psychiatrists and philosophers about the challenges and possibilities of explaining psychiatric disorders across multiple levels.' Carl F. Craver, Washington University, St Louis

Editors

Kenneth S. Kendler, Virginia Commonwealth University
Kenneth S. Kendler is a professor and eminent scholar at the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics and Virginia Commonwealth University. He is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine, where he is the recipient of many honors and awards.

 

Josef Parnas, University of Copenhagen
Josef Parnas is a clinical professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine and co-founder of the interdisciplinary theoretical institute The Center for Subjectivity Research at the University of Copenhagen.

 

Peter Zachar, Auburn University, Montgomery
Peter Zachar is a professor in the Department of Psychology and the associate dean of the College of Sciences at Auburn University, Montgomery.

 

 

Contributors

Peter Zachar, William Bechtel, Kenneth S. Kendler, Robert M. Bilder, Georg Northoff, Daniel S. Pine, Kenneth F. Schaffner, Josef Parnas, Shaun Gallagher, Jan-Willem Romeijn, John Campbell, Maja Zanderson, Gregory A. Miller, Morgan E. Bartholomew, Kathryn Tabb, Hanna van Loo, Eric Turkheimer, James Woodward, Stephan Heckers