[Buddha-l] Buddhism and Psychology research

[Richard Hayes]

On Sep 2, 2010, at 16:25, "S.A. Feite" <sfeite at roadrunner.com> wrote:
> 
> Rich I fear you're confusing two different realms, psychiatry, which currently is a profession of Medical Doctor's (MD's) and largely centered around physical, pharmaceutical solutions for mental well being-- and modern psychology which has no prescriptive authority but has a variety of different approaches (e.g. behavioral, cognitive, Reichian, etc.) towards mental coping and mental balance. 

I'm happy to report you have nothing to fear. I'm well aware of the distinction you have carefully articulated, and I never confuse them. Apparently the way I express myself confuses others, so I'll try in future to write more clearly. 

> Neither of these should be confused with anything Buddhist IMO, except perhaps the Hinayana.

Aside from the sloppy reference to something that never existed (hīnayāna Buddhism), I am in complete agreement. Modern psychiatry and psychology are to Buddhist "psychology" as quantum mechanics is to Aristotle's physics. 

Richard