Effective Definitions
Logic — the subject of reasoning; the ability to think clearly and reach correct conclusions. [ultimately from Greek logos “speech, reason, word”]
Superstition — an irrational attitude or notion maintained despite evidence to the contrary. [ultimately from Latin super- “over” + stare “to stand”]
What Is Logic?
Logic is a process of observation and thought that leads to correct conclusions. This process is called “reasoning.” Reason depends upon data. When data is faulty or unobserved the conclusions are unreasonable (i.e. illogical.)
What Is Superstition?
Superstition is the substitution of false or faulty data for correctly observed data leading to incorrect, unreasonable or illogical conclusions.
One of the primary ways superstition takes hold is by having fixed ideas. A fixed idea is something accepted without personal inspection or agreement. It may appear normal or reasonable, but on close observation and inspection can be shown to be faulty.
Sanity and Insanity
It can be seen that sanity is one’s reasoning toward optimum survival. Specifically it is one’s ability to recognize differences, similarities and identities. This is a necessary ability one must have to be logical.
[Sanity: Soundness of judgment or reason; derives ultimately from Latin sanus “healthy”.]
The opposite of sanity is insanity, which can be seen to be faulty reasoning leading toward nonsurvival, or the inability to recognize differences, similarities and identities. The result of this is to be illogical.
Cause and Effect
No amount of logic can replace some good, solid, imaginative superstition, which is the assignment of cause to something or someone other than the person themself.
By this we mean that in the absence of a person’s ability to be responsible and cause things to happen — that is, the person is only being the effect of others — logic is ineffective and superstition will take its place.
Notice that one of the main uses of both logic and superstition in this case is to covertly justify how one is not responsible and has not caused anything. It’s always something or someone else — i.e. “The Why Is God!” syndrome.
Thus, someone will say “It’s only logical” when on close inspection it isn’t logical at all. This red herring leads to no end of superstition and failures.
Psychiatry Is Superstition
In the case of psychiatry, the Why is the Brain. Insanity is all the brain’s fault; and they justify this with both (faulty) logic and (imaginative) superstition. They’ve got it covered.
In the case of psychiatry, neither logic nor superstition is sanity. In fact, psychiatrists do not know what sanity or insanity is, since it is clear that psychiatry cannot distinguish the sane from the insane. This, psychiatrists when pressed about it, readily admit.
“We do not know the causes [of any mental illness]. We don’t have the methods of ‘curing’ these illnesses yet.” —Dr. Rex Cowdry, psychiatrist and director of National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 1995
As a result, all psychiatric diagnoses and treatments are based on superstition, which is called a “pseudoscience.”
The only thing the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is good for is to bill insurance for bogus treatments.
“In short, the whole business of creating psychiatric categories of ‘disease,’ formalizing them with consensus, and subsequently ascribing diagnostic codes to them, which in turn leads to their use for insurance billing, is nothing but an extended racket furnishing psychiatry a pseudo-scientific aura. The perpetrators are, of course, feeding at the public trough.” [Dr. Thomas Dorman, Member of the Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom and Canada]
Recommendations
Government, criminal, educational, judicial and other social agencies should not rely on the DSM and no legislation should use this as a basis for determining the mental state, competency, educational standard or rights of any individual.
The Missouri Revised Statutes (RSMo) contains several explicit mentions of the DSM in Chapter 376 on Life, Health and Accident Insurance. Contact your Missouri State legislators and ask them to remove all references to the DSM from Missouri State Law.
