Psychopathology and Philosophy of Mind

This book explores how the human mind works through the lens of psychological disorders, challenging many existing theoretical constructs, especially in the fields of psychology, psychiatry and philosophy of mind.
Drawing on the expertise of leading academics, the book discusses how psychopathology can be used to inform our understanding of the human mind. The book argues that studying mental disorders can deepen the understanding of psychological mechanisms such as reasoning, emotions, and beliefs alongside fundamental philosophical questions, including the nature of the self, the universal aspects of morality, and the role of rationality and normativity in human nature. By crossing different domains, this book offers a fresh perspective on the human mind based on the dialogue between philosophy, cognitive science and clinical psychology. Mental disorders discussed include schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and paranoia.
This book caters to the increasing interest in interdisciplinary approach to solving some of the problems in psychopathology. Since this book treats psychological engagement with empirically informed philosophy of mind, this book is essential reading for students and researchers of cognitive psychology, clinical psychology, and philosophy, as well as being of interest to clinicians and psychiatrists.

Valentina Cardella is Associate Professor of Philosophy of Language at the University of Messina, Italy. Her research interests encompass cognitive sciences, philosophy of language, and psychopathology. She is author of several books and papers on various topics of interest. Amelia Gangemi is Full Professor in General Psychology at the University of Messina, Italy. Her research activity is in the area of thinking; she is, moreover, focused on examining the different ways in which emotional and motivational states affect intelligence and reasoning. She is author of several books and papers on various topics of interest.

Contributors Preface Part 1: Cognition in the Light of Psychopathology A Preliminary Step: Understanding the Mental in Mental Disorders Valentina Cardella Mental Illnesses are Emotional Disorders Philip N. Johnson-Laird Reasoning and Goals: From Psychopathological Patients to Healthy People Amelia Gangemi and Francesco Mancini Reasoning, Trauma, and PTSD: Insights into the Emotion-Cognition Interaction Isabelle Blanchette and Sara-Valérie Giroux The Distinction between Altruistic and Deontological Guilt Feelings: Insights from Psychopathology Francesco Mancini, Guyonne Rogier and Amelia Gangemi The Narrative Self in Schizophrenia and its Cognitive Underpinnings Ines Adornetti and Francesco Ferretti Delusions and Pathologies of Belief: Making Sense of Conspiracy Beliefs via the Psychosis Continuum Niall Galbraith Part 2: Psychopathology and Human Nature Normality at the Mirror of Madness: Historical Considerations on a Chimeric Boundary Francesco Paolo Tocco "There is a system in lunacy": Morality and Normativity in Mental Disorders Leonarda Vaiana The Dark Side of Language Valentina Cardella and Alessandra Falzone Identity, Narratives and Psychopathology: A Critical Perspective Pietro Perconti Bodies that Love Themselves and Bodies that Hate Themselves: The Role of Lived Experience in Body Integrity Dysphoria Antonino Pennisi and Alessandro Capodici Lost in Love: Why is it so Painful when Romance goes Wrong? Domenica Bruni Embodied and Disembodied Rationality: What Morbid Rationalism and Hyper-Reflexivity tell us about Human Intelligence and Intentionality Giovanni Pennisi and Shaun Gallagher