Big Questions in Psychiatry: What is reality?

About this episode

This episode explores the complexities of reality in psychiatry, including responsibility, phenomenology, and the role of AI.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists coat of arms – featuring the serpent-entwined Staff of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing – also bears the College motto, ‘Let Wisdom Guide’. Wisdom is often personified as a female figure – Sophia (Greek) or Hokmah (Hebrew) – a figure that is the source of practical knowledge and a moral compass, emphasising ethical conduct and thoughtful living. And indeed, it is wisdom we need to understand the complexities of life – particularly when it intersects with mental illness, as it often does in psychiatry. Our new series of podcasts, Big Questions in Psychiatry, explores the complex and sometimes messy issues shaping psychiatry. With the help of world experts in the field and utilising a grounding panel of patients, carers, clinicians, learners and service managers, we ask about: - the philosophical notion of responsibility and its relation to blame in mental illness - phenomenology in psychiatry – how do we, either as patients or as clinicians, know what is real and what is not, for example, when dealing with hallucinations? -the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in psychiatry – is AI friend or foe? Disclaimer: This podcast…

Topics covered

• philosophical notion of responsibility
• blame in mental illness
• phenomenology in psychiatry
• hallucinations
• artificial intelligence in psychiatry

Keywords

• wisdom
• mental illness
• psychiatry
• ethical conduct
• thoughtful living

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Big Questions in Psychiatry

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