L. Binswanger or the Critic of Psychiatric Reason

Wittgenstein tells us that there is no such thing as an only language from which other languages depend. He tells us, however that there exist different types of discourses: inasmuch as every discourse has its own rules therefore we cannot translate one language into another language. The difficulties we face whenever we try to define human sciences arise, partially at least, from an utilization of apparently univocal terms. Nonetheless, such terms actually reveal multiple significations. Scientists think that a par excellence model of science is developing, a model deriving from Physics. Starting from Physics, elaborating a concept of knowledge apt at being proposed as an absolute ideal seems to be possible. So, current Psychiatry is moving, so to speak, at both a research level, and a practice level among operative symptoms, and descriptions of diseases linking «determined psychopathological concepts with figures so that anybody is in a position to collect, and verify data in a similar way, at any place, any moment whatsoever. Figures thus obtained can be exchanged, and compared to figures obtained in any point the world over. Currently, figures, statistics, tables, diagrams, and validations there of dominate the range of both the psychiatrical congresses and journals» (R. Kühn, 1996). The simple fact of the mathematical “exactness” is considered as an evident criterion for truth beyond any doubt whatever.