Lecture by Luís Madeira (Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa)

Date: November 19

Room 5.2 (FLUL)

Chair: Marijke Boucherie

Abstract:

"The main theme of the lecture is the exploration of the question of language in schizophrenia. Particularly relevant is to identify how does the patient relate with his attempt to make linguistic sense of his experiences – for instance, whether he shares with the listener (a sort of insight) that it is ineffective in the overall sense? Whether he becomes frustrated when trying to make sense? Whether he lacks words? Whether words appear to him anew? Whether focusing on these changes patients also have unusual attitudes toward language as well contextual interactions between changes in language and other inner (attention towards particular self-experiences) and external (context) inputs. The conceptual analysis herein is key for empirical studies that could be drawn to identify their variety and ultimately clarify whether language disturbances are an epiphenomenon of the illness (e.g. defensive), itself primarily motivated (e.g. intentional) or, as is probably the case, whether it results from a multi-layered dynamics of both primary and secondary elements."