Natural kinds, psychiatric classification and the history of the DSM. Issue 4 (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tsou, Jonathan Y
• Is Part Of: History of psychiatry. Volume 27:Issue 4(2016:Dec.)
• Page Start: 406
• Page End: 424
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Diagnostic validity -- history of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -- looping effects -- mechanistic property cluster kinds -- projectability; Psychiatry -- History -- Periodicals; Mental illness -- History -- Periodicals; 616.89009
• DOI: 10.1177/0957154X16656580
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0957-154X

Abstract

This paper addresses philosophical issues concerning whether mental disorders are natural kinds and how the DSM should classify mental disorders. I argue that some mental disorders (e.g. schizophrenia, depression) are natural kinds in the sense that they are natural classes constituted by a set of stable biological mechanisms. I subsequently argue that a theoretical and causal approach to classification would provide a method for classifying natural kinds that is superior to the purely descriptive approach adopted by the DSM since DSM-III . My argument suggests that the DSM should classify natural kinds in order to provide predictively useful (i.e. projectable) diagnostic categories and that a causal approach to classification would provide a more promising method for formulating valid diagnostic categories.