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Reasons and causes: the nature of explanations in Psychology and Psychiatry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Jonathan Hill
Jonathan Hill*
Affiliation:
Maudsley Hospital, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Jonathan Hill, The Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ.
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Synopsis

The relationship between psychological and biological processes is examined. Criteria for the distinction between reasons and causes are described. These provide a basis for a separation of those mental states and behaviour that can be explained in a reductionist fashion, and those that are not reducible. The proposed conceptual framework has clinical and research implications.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , August 1982 , pp. 501 - 514
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

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