Szasz Podcast
I just did a new podcast with Aaron Olson on the late great Thomas Szasz. Aaron is well-versed in my notorious article, “The Economics of Szasz: Preferences, Constraints, and Mental Illness” (Rationality and Society, 2006). This piece is definitely a personal favorite. While Szasz is best-known for his activism against involuntary commitment, the heart of his work is a low-SDB philosophy of mind.
After the article was accepted, but prior to its publication, I actually refrained from publicizing it due to lingering fear of cancellation. Nothing bad ever happened. Au contraire, it became one of my best-known pieces. It even inspired psychiatrist-by-day, blogger-by-night Scott Alexander to write this critique. Here’s my response, and Scott’s rejoinder.
Aaron and I discuss what Szasz thought about mental illness, what I think about what Szasz thought, Szasz’s best books (The Untamed Tongue and Insanity), what Szasz was like in person, Szasz’s views on economics, where Szasz was overconfident, and much more. Enjoy!
Update: I was wrong about when Szasz left Hungary. He moved to the U.S. in 1938, so he never lived under Communism. Though I feel like I remember him saying that repeatedly visited Hungary under Communism…
HT: Ross Levatter
Just an FYI. The Myth of Mental Illness is Szasz's SECOND book. His first book was Pain & Pleasure. Both books were written in "medicalese" style, something Szasz knew well having graduated first in his medical school class, but which he soon thereafter dropped in favor of clear writing.
I loved every moment of this interview.
It should be pointed out that as a matter of strict historical fact, Szasz left Hungary in 1938 at the age of 18 so he never lived under communist rule.