Thomas Szasz

Dr. Thomas Stephen Szasz (born April 15, 1920 in Budapest, Hungary) is Professor Emeritus in Psychiatry at the State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse, New York. Szasz is a critic of the moral and scientific foundations of psychiatry.

Related Topics:
April 15 - 1920 - Budapest - Hungary - Psychiatry - State University of New York - Syracuse - New York

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In 1969, Szasz co-founded, and was the first director of, Scientology's anti-psychiatry front group Citizens Commission on Human Rights. While Szasz declares that he has beside this common interest no ties with Scientology, he regularly attends Church of Scientology eventshttp://www.szasz.com/szaszcruise.gif and Scientology mentions him frequently.http://www.celebritycentre.org/html/opencms/cos/scientology/en_US/news-media/briefing/2005/hr/050228.html

Related Topics:
1969 - Citizens Commission on Human Rights - Scientology - Church of Scientology

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He is well known for his books The Myth of Mental Illness and The Manufacture of Madness: A Comparative Study of the Inquisition and the Mental Health Movement which set out some of the arguments with which he is most associated.

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His views on involuntary treatment follow from classical liberal roots which are based on the principles that each person has the right to bodily and mental self ownership and the right to be free from violence from others. Szasz is a principled libertarian who believes that the practice of medicine, use and sale of drugs, and sexual relations, should be private, contractual, and outside of state jurisdiction.

Related Topics:
Classical liberal - Libertarian - Medicine

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