Causal Concepts in Psychopathology: Multidisciplinary Perspectives

Causality extends across many areas of psychiatry, from the purely conceptual and philosophical to the interpretation of genetic, epidemiological, and neurobiological work. This book offers new, interdisciplinary perspectives on causation in psychopathology, exploring it in relation to the latest scientific and philosophical advances, as well as through psychiatric research and practice. It features contributions from many internationally known psychologists, clinical researchers, and philosophers of science actively studying the phenomenology of mental illness. The chapters are organized into four sections: The Causes Themselves; Causes, Genes, and Neuroscience; Causality and Nosology; and Causality and Phenomenology. Each main chapter is preceded by a brief introduction written by the editors and a commentary by another author in this volume. By taking a multidisciplinary approach spanning psychiatry, philosophy, and psychology, the book is written to be accessible for members of all three disciplines.