Hi Sam:
I agree with your take on insanity and amend my unqualified remark
about there being a biological base of mental illness. It's undeniable
that value conflicts (such as you described in your discussion paper)
can affect brain function, just as emotions of any kind can temporarily
affect other bodily functions (respiration, heart rate, blood pressure,
etc.) If the value conflict is deep and long lasting, the effect on brain
function may lead to symptoms of depression which can be alleviated
by drug therapy and shock treatments. (The brain, being a physical
organ, does have a biological base and is thus affected by biological
agents.) But, as you point out, the underlying cause (the value conflict)
must be resolved by the patient before recovery can be complete.
I would suggest, however, that it is not always possible for a patient to
have the benefit of an understanding clergyman or psychiatrist. In such
cases, maintaining the ability to be take care of oneself by using
prescribed drugs may work, over the long term, to accomplish a
complete cure simply by the common experience that "time heals all
wounds." Pirsig makes the point in LILA that just leaving a disturbed
person alone can result in a cure over time. It's better if the person can
function normally by using drugs while the time-cure does its work.
Then there are those who need drug therapy due to a congenital
imbalance in brain chemistry, as I'm sure you'll agree.
Of course, "normal" is culturally determined as is "insanity." In fact,
Pirsig's views on insanity in LILA are, IMO, far superior to anything
Freud came up with. There hasn't been much discussion here about
Pirsig's views on that subject, so to have your valuable input was
personally most gratifying. Thanks for sharing your "discussion paper"
which I found most interesting and indeed, accurate.
Platt
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