The Definition of Insanity

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- chris
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The Definition of Insanity
OP - April 27, 2012, 09:41 AM

There's a pretty vacuous article on the BBC news website at the moment about (in)sanity, common misconceptions about it, and its relevance to justice. The article was written with reference to the pathetic fantastic currently being tried for murder in Norway.

The article is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17859499

What are your views on sanity and insanity. Should we define them in comparison to majority opinion or interpretation? How should we treat individuals who, with apparent sincerity, justify immoral deeds with claims of deep spiritual or religious experience? I can't see that leniency should be afforded, as such, but when should piety and faith be considered examples of insanity? Where do we draw the lines between misapprehension, misguidedness and responsibility diminishing neuropyschological pathology? Is someone who hears Jesus tell them to clothe and feed the poor any more sane or accountable for their actions than someone who believes they've received instruction to kill, or beats their children in the belief that it will rid them of demons?

I'd appreciate some input to help clarify my thoughts.
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Re: The Definition of Insanity
Reply #1 - April 27, 2012, 04:07 PM

theres a thing called Religious Preoccupation in mental health.

They waive the "answered prayer" thing in mental health,
as separate from "hearing and seeing things noone else can hear
or see" psychosis. I forget the details, but I know there are
exceptions to dillusions and audio hallucinations regarding
religious people. The non violent ones, anyway.

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- chris
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Re: The Definition of Insanity
Reply #2 - April 27, 2012, 05:04 PM

Thanks JnT. Yeah, I can see that sincerely believing there to be a supernatural deity listening to your prayers is different to sincerely believing that it talks back at you, sometimes. That said, I sometimes think I've heard a voice or seen a person or experienced some other form of hyper agency that I'll end up dismissing because of an inclination towards skepticism and an absence of priming beliefs. If I really thought I was talking to a god and was therefore primed and hoping for a response, and then thought I'd heard a voice, I'm not so sure I'd be able to dismiss it and I wouldn't call that inability a reasonable marker for insanity, just a failure to correctly analyse the situation; something we're all guilty of from time to time.

More thoughts? I realise I'm no good at starting discussions. Maybe a statement would help:

Deeply held religiosity is a socially acceptable form of insanity. Discuss.
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Re: The Definition of Insanity
Reply #3 - April 27, 2012, 05:35 PM

In the case of this man in Norway there is no doubt he is guilty. The only only difference sanity or insanity would would make is how he is housed after he is sentenced..

I think this is perhaps the misconception that insanity gets a person off without punishment. It doesn't in most cases. However I have see men wrongly housed and it is difficult. It is also hard to determine what is sanity and what isn't. Just as in the case mentioned everyone evolved doesn't agree on the diagnoses.

In any case when a person is not safe to those in society they must be separated from other to the level that keeps the majority as safe as possible. Be that prison or mental institution with lockdown facility or if to a lesser degree is needed monitored probation.

If at first you succeed...try something harder.

Failing isn't falling down. Failing is not getting back up again.
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Re: The Definition of Insanity
Reply #4 - April 27, 2012, 06:00 PM

Humm. ..I missed that point. Did this man think he heard a voice from God to murder the 77 people?

It doesn't matter.

That still makes it just as difficult to determine sanity or insanity. But not guilt or innocence.

Mental health is determined on so many factors one of those being understanding the .consequences for your own actions.. So even if a person felt that God or a god told them to do something they should be able to understand the logical consequence to that action. The Bible clearly records Jesus' disciplines being beaten for preaching and states this is a very likely out come for Christians and not to expect otherwise. So if a person broken the laws of the land for their religious belief that doesn't release them of responsibility. Perhaps someone with a different belief would feel differently.

If at first you succeed...try something harder.

Failing isn't falling down. Failing is not getting back up again.
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