Implications of Bohmian Quantum Ontology for Psychopathology

2017

OJD

The present work deals with the complexity of the arguments underlying the meaning of the quantum paradigm of psychopathology. In particular, the quantum approach to the understanding of the brain and consciousness, seems to present convergence of thinking of many scientists and also seems to be the most promising way in the approach of future research. The practical potency of classical neuroscience directed toward either beneficial or perverse purposes will prove in the end limited by that orthodox paradigm's inherently poor explanatory power in linking mind and brain, especially at the basic level of the Hard Problem as Chalmers (1995) has termed. However, if quantum neurobiology should demonstrate greater explanatory power than does its classical counterpart, then an enhanced potential not only for constructive psychiatric application but also for politically motivated abuse will follow with a vengeance. If the mechanistic-reductionist cognitive approaches have been characterised by the metaphor of the "edifice", of the solid Cartesian rock, all the forms of knowledge founded on complexity theory, have been characterised by the metaphor of the "network", of thinking in relationships, in a dynamic, fluid, open manner. In the field of mental illness, this means setting aside both the organicist paradigm and the pseudo-phenomenological, "sentimental", and therefore ideological, paradigm, in order to have an integrated view of biological objectiveness and humanistic psychotherapy. That is to say, an expression of diverse interrelated contributions from the various disciplines (psychiatry, psychology, biochemistry, anthropology, quantum physics, mathematics, philosophy). The observer thus becomes a builder of models, a manager of complexity, giving treatment the character of a truly empathic relationship. This is all the more so where distressing pathologies are involved, such as Major Depression (MD) and Bipolar Disorder (BD), caput mortuum of psychiatry, because the absence of cogent biological markers seriously compromises every form of therapy.

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantum Paradigms of Psychopathology: From Consciousness to Neuroethics

Cocchi¹,

Tonello²,

2017

OJD

“…Lastly, it is necessary that the scientific community and the world of the clinical profession commit themselves increasingly so that psychiatry and psychology can constitute themselves as heuristic bio-analytical-existential knowledge, where the diagnosis is not placed under the Heideggerian "yoke of the idea" [60,61] (classificatory ideology and diagnostic imperialism), but refers to convincing biological markers. In this context, comparison with the neurosciences appears inescapable, particularly in their quantistic standpoint [62][63][64][65][66][67], with all the implications, also of an ethical nature, that this involves [68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77][78].…”

Section: Final Theoretical Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Molecular and Quantum Approach to Psychopathology and Consciousness — From Theory to Experimental Practice

Cocchi¹,

Tonello²,

Major Depressive Disorder - Cognitive and Neurobiological Mechanisms

2015

With the idol of certainty […] there falls one of the defences of obscurantism […] for the worship of this idol hampers not only the boldness of the questions, but also the rigor and the integrity of our tests. The wrong view of science betrays itself in the craving to be right; for it is not its possession of knowledge […] that makes the man of science, but its persistent and recklessly critical quest for truth.(K.R.Popper, The Logic of Scientific Discovery, engl. tr. Hutchinson, London 1959) Recently some major events have allowed a movement of thought not only innovative, but of profound and insistent criticism, mainly at a high intellectual and scientific level, on the

“…Lastly, it is necessary that the scientific community and the world of the clinical profession commit themselves increasingly so that psychiatry and psychology can constitute themselves as heuristic bio-analytical-existential knowledge, where the diagnosis is not placed under the Heideggerian "yoke of the idea" (classificatory ideology and diagnostic imperialism), but refers to convincing biological markers. In this context, comparison with the neurosciences appears inescapable, particularly in their quantistic standpoint (Pothos & Busemeyer, 2013;Woolf et al, 2010;Pylkkänen, 2010;Zizzi & Pregnolato, 2012;Mender, 2013;Cocchi et al, 2013b), with all the implications, also of an ethical nature, that this involves (Garland, 2004;Furman, Downey, & Jackson, 2004;Gazzaniga, 2005;Glannon, 2006;Illes, 2006;Levy, 2007;Illes & Sahakian, 2011;Benedikter & Giordano, 2012;Giordano, 2012;Kohls et al, 2013;Monti, 2013).…”

Section: Conclusive Anthropological Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mood Psychopathologies: An Integrated Complexity-Based Interpretation

Cocchi¹,

Tonello²,

2014

PSYCH

If the mechanistic-reductionist cognitive approaches have been characterised by the metaphor of the "edifice", of the solid Cartesian rock, all the forms of knowledge founded on complexity theory have been characterised by the metaphor of the "network", of thinking in relationships, in a dynamic, fluid, open manner. In the field of mental illness, this means setting aside both the organicist paradigm and the pseudo-phenomenological, "sentimentalistic", and therefore ideological, paradigm, in order to have an integrated view of biological objectiveness and humanistic psychotherapy. That is to say, an expression of diverse interrelated contributions from the various disciplines (psychiatry, psychology, biochemistry, anthropology, quantum physics, mathematics, philosophy). The observer thus becomes a builder of models, a manager of complexity, giving treatment the character of a truly empathic relationship. This is all the more so where distressing pathologies are involved, such as Major Depression (MD) and Bipolar Disorder (BD), caput mortuum of psychiatry, because the absence of cogent biological markers seriously compromises every form of therapy. Hence the identification of a biological platform (fatty acids of platelets) as a starting point for a correct classification of MD with respect to BD.