Post-Classical Phase Transitions and Emergence in Psychiatry: Beyond George Engel's Model of Psychopathology

Abstract

This paper explores the flaws underlying Engel's biopsychosocial paradigm of psychiatric illness and offers a quantum-neurodynamical alternative that addresses these defects. It is argued that the current conceptual foundations of biopsychosocial psychiatry, insofar as they rest upon analogies between neural network theory and classical statistical mechanics, are plagued by tensions and inconsistencies among notions of causation, physical scale, and objectivity. The recent rise of a potentially more adequate post-classical paradigm, grounding cognitive neuroscience in quantum principles, is described. The possibility is advanced that this developing quantum perspective on mind and brain can transform psychiatry's understanding of mental disorders through an explanatory adequacy and a theoretical coherence superior to Engel's classically limited ideas.

Neuropsychiatric Illness: A Case for Impaired Neuroplasticity and Possible Quantum Processing Derailment in Microtubules

“…As mentioned by Mender (2010), the two most notable quantum-neurodynamic perpectives on brain function are the TBD model (Ricciardi et. al., 1967;Jibu and Yasue 1995;Vitiello 1995), and the PenroseHameroff Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch OR) model (Hameroff, 1998).…”

“…Could the role of the cytoskeleton in psychiatric illness lend credence to Globus and Mender's arguments (Globus, 2010;Mender, 2010), and provide a physical substrate on which to base future discussion? The remainder of this paper explores these issues with the next logical question being: are there genetic markers related to the cytoskeleton associated with increased vulnerability to neural network dysfunction and mental illness?…”

“…Likewise, in a companion article Mender (2010) discuses the numerous incongruities of the biopsychosocial paradigm of psychiatric illness, with its parallels to neural network theory and classical statistical mechanics. Both argue that new quantum paradigms of psychiatric illness could advance perspectives on brain, mind, and mental disorders.…”

Implications of Bohmian Quantum Ontology for Psychopathology

“…The aim of this article is to provide a sketch of a further perspective on quantum psychiatry, alongside other articles in this volume (Globus, 2010;Mender, 2010;Woolf et al, 2010).…”

“…I think Mender's (2010) article is a useful overview and raises the question of the need for "quantum psychiatry" in a powerful way. Some of the ideas seem still fairly condensed and I hope that in future research this approach will be further spelled out and clarified so as to make the prospect of the emerging field of "quantum psychiatry" even more attractive and plausible to a wider audience.…”