Spiritual growth should not take a back seat to psychology

Opening Statement:

There is more to science than what we can measure. While quantifiable data and empirical evidence are fundamental to scientific inquiry and our understanding of the natural world, they only represent a portion of the scientific landscape. Concepts that cannot be easily quantified, such as intuition, creativity, and the ethical implications of scientific advancements, play crucial roles in shaping scientific discovery.

Scientific exploration often begins with curiosity—a nebulous impulse that drives researchers to ask questions and seek explanations beyond what is currently understood. This imaginative aspect of science fuels innovation and fosters the development of hypotheses that may initially resist precise measurement. Moreover, qualitative research, which encompasses observations, narratives, and case studies, provides valuable insights that complement quantitative data.

Additionally, the interpretation of data is influenced by the perspectives and biases of scientists, underscoring the importance of the broader context in which research is conducted. Cultural, social, and philosophical considerations can profoundly impact scientific inquiry and the way findings are applied in real-world situations. Hence, while measurements and quantifiable results contribute significantly to scientific knowledge, the underlying complexities of human experience and thought are equally essential for a comprehensive understanding of science.

Psychology, as a formal field of study, has its roots in the philosophical inquiries of ancient civilizations. It was during the Enlightenment in the 17th and 18th centuries that the quest to understand human behavior and the mind began to crystallize into a distinct discipline. Notable figures such as René Descartes contributed to the understanding of the duality between mind and body, proposing that the latter influenced the former.

The establishment of the clinic in the late 18th century marked a significant turning point in the understanding and treatment of mental health. As the witch trials waned, society began to shift its perspective on mental illness, moving away from superstition and persecution toward what was thought to be a more compassionate and scientific approach, but was mired with complexities related to what constitutes health and what constituted spiritual growth as the discipline progressively became dismissive towards the rights of individuals and their acceptance within society. The birth of this clinical model laid the groundwork for modern psychiatry, emphasizing the importance of observation, diagnosis, and treatment but success was often shortsighted and limited in its grasp of social position.

In the 19th century, psychology emerged more clearly as a scientific discipline. Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology laboratory in 1879, marking a pivotal moment in the field's shift toward empirical methods and experimentation. William James, while also foundational to the study of psychology in America, presented a more open-minded perspective on consciousness and paranormal phenomena in contrast to Wilhelm Wundt's emphasis on experimental psychology and the study of consciousness through structured scientific methods. This era also saw the development of other schools of thought, including structuralism, functionalism, and psychoanalysis—each offering unique perspectives on consciousness, behavior, and mental processes.

However, if we look at the work of Thomas Szasz and evaluate the birth of the clinic, it becomes evident that Szasz's critiques of psychiatry and the medical model fundamentally influenced our understanding of mental health care. Szasz argued that mental illnesses were often constructed social phenomena rather than purely biological conditions, challenging the conventional medical approach that sought to diagnose and treat mental disorders similarly to physical ailments.

His assertion that the concept of mental illness was a metaphor raised important questions about the legitimacy and authority of psychiatric practices. Szasz believed that labeling behavior as pathological could lead to the coercion of individuals who may simply be exhibiting non-conforming behaviors. This perspective opened avenues for discussion about individual rights, autonomy, and the role of societal norms in defining mental health.

Furthermore, Szasz's work encouraged a critical examination of the clinic's role in society. The clinic, while a center for healing, can also act as a site of power and control, where individuals’ freedoms may be curtailed under the guise of treatment. This duality is essential to consider when evaluating the efficacy and ethics of psychiatric practices.

Overall, Szasz's contributions have spurred ongoing debates about the nature of mental illness, the validity of psychiatric diagnosis, and the implications of clinical practices in both therapeutic and ethical contexts. His ideas continue to resonate in contemporary discussions surrounding mental health, highlighting the complexities associated with the treatment and societal perceptions of mental disorders.

As psychology progressed, it gradually diverged from mysticism and spiritual practices that had long been used to explain human experience. Mysticism, characterized by a direct experience of the divine or transcendent, has existed across cultures for centuries, often intertwined with religion and philosophy. Practices aimed at self-exploration and understanding have been prevalent, shaped by historical context and cultural beliefs.

The relationship between psychology and mysticism can be complex. While psychology strives for scientific rigor, mysticism delves into subjective experiences that often resist quantification. However, in the 20th century, figures such as Carl Jung sought to bridge these fields. Jung introduced concepts such as the collective unconscious and archetypes, which resonated with mystical traditions, allowing for a greater exploration of the symbolic and experiential dimensions of human psychology.

Mystics have existed all through out time, but the enlightenment movement struggled with metaphysics and value structures, or customs, that often diverge across borders and cultures. Neither capitalism or empiricism understood the history of values or the history of ideas related to customs in any kind of structurally relatable ways which were universally recognizable, or ‘objective’, across all borders, and merchants, along with empiricists, worked to spearhead their own methods of settling social disputes which gradually became institutionalized in different ways of organizing social structures. Some sciences advanced towards positivistic norms faster than traditional standards could cope with and this often lead to provincialized areas of stigmatization in our ways of thinking and behaving that acted to ostracize and exclude ideas about uncertain ways of thinking and living. Looking to Michel Foucault’s work on the birth of the clinic can also teach us about how the history of social ideas related to these struggles and their connection to power structures but democracy and capitalism found ways to work towards representing the individuals and the rights of individuals who strove to create structure out of the gradual declination of traditional norms found in feudal and colonial social standards. As a result of this growing market of exchange and intermarriage of ideas we can see that the history of cultures all across the world are marred by race and gender identity politics which made it seem as though the rich and landed were the only ones to ever have any voting rights because elitist beliefs often tended to marginalize the egalitarian beliefs of the lower classes, and as a result religious structures with qualitative values and beliefs ended up conflicting with positivistic movements related to strict definitions or divisions of class and social, or even ideological, structure.

In conclusion, psychology has evolved from ancient philosophical inquiries into a robust scientific discipline, while mysticism has remained a parallel stream of thought rich with subjective experience. Both have longstanding histories that reflect humanity’s enduring quest for understanding and meaning in the complexities of life. Though differing in method and focus, they continue to inform each other, offering a holistic view of human experience, and this website seeks to further flesh out and explore this broader intermarriage of ideas.