Welcome, my name is Sean Gunderson. I am starting this blog as an adjunct to both my thesis published by Northeastern Illinois University as well as my essays published on the science website madinamerica.com.
I want to use this as an opportunity to provide insights into the application of the knowledge in my thesis as well as my published essays.
I have found in the months since I have published The Thesis and my essays, that I received many encouraging words of support. Indeed I thank all family friends and associates who have supported me along the way.
However I have also noticed that many of these words are superficial. Indeed many of those around me seem to tell me what they think I want to hear. They don't seem to validate my subjective experience nor my published writings.
The sense that I get is because my writings are related to the concept of "mental illness" ("the epithet"), that those around me presume they already know everything they need to about that concept.
This became obvious when my parents, whom I love dearly, said that they feel they don't need to read my thesis. While this hurt deeply, my greatest concern isn't my own emotional state, rather it's the State of affairs in our modern society.
My writings are born of a deep passion for Epistemology. My passion for Epistemology is so deep that I do not see it as merely another branch of knowledge. Indeed Epistemology is analogous to the stalk out of which the various branches of knowledge grow. Without Epistemology how can one understand biology chemistry or physics? Indeed without Epistemology how can one assert they understand any scientific concepts?
Perhaps this general lack of appreciation for Epistemology has led to the social nightmare that is our modern "mental hell-th" system.
I say often times that when no one really understands what the concept of the epithet really is, then everyone can pretend to understand it.
What I mean by this is that when a social concept lacks a concrete definition that is verifiable, it opens the door for literally every member of society to become a self-proclaimed expert in it.
The concept of the epithet is akin to tofu. I am a vegan and I'm rather familiar with tofu. It doesn't have much taste by itself but it easily takes on the tastes of the food that it's cooked with.
When modern humans talk of the epithet "mental illness" this is an ambiguous concept that has a little meaning in itself. It is a verbal sound created with modern language that is supposed to refer to something in reality. The problem is researchers have been looking for the tangible reality to which that verbal sound refers for over a century and have yet to find it.
Despite producing an academically published thesis as well as recognition on a science website with a 10 essay series, family friends and others around me continue to presume that they know more than me about the epithet. Those around me don't defer to me as an expert on this concept despite my own academically published thesis.
This is the tofu to which I refer. Modern Western society likes tofu, apparently especially when it's conceptual tofu. Since no one really knows what the epithet is, as it doesn't refer to anything in tangible, verifiable reality, that concept is open to malicious manipulation.
The epithet cannot be falsified and thus is not scientific. If it's not even scientific it is most certainly not in accordance with the principles of Epistemology. The epithet is about as far away from properly produced knowledge as it's going to get. It is a sound that can be manipulated and imposed upon other animals to abuse them should they deviate from cultural norms.
I am going to use my blog to illustrate some of these deviations from cultural norms and how the epithet may rear its ugly head in such circumstances.
I have realized as a writer that in addition to my thesis, I need real world illustrations so that average people can understand how to avoid returning to use of the epithet.
This blog will serve as a forum for my own public reflections on the epithet, among other writings rooted in my deep appreciation of Epistemology. My intention is to help average people correct their own thinking and perceptions with regard to the epithet. It is simply not becoming of a civil society to impose an epithet on an individual or group merely because they deviate slightly from the personal expectations of the dominant group. Such behavior and thinking is primitive, to say the least.
I am answering a call of personal responsibility to use the experiences of my life in order to illustrate how the epithet can be avoided in awkward situations in which modern westerners are accustomed to using the epithet.
In other words I recognize that it is a common habit of Western Civilization to impose the epithet on anyone who might deviate slightly from their expectations. I want to use my life and my ability to articulate in an extremely precise manner to counteract this destructive habit of Western society.
I would like to leave you with some words of wisdom....
Be the change that you wish to see in the world
Sean
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