WikiPedia: SanIty

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"SanIty" is variously defined as; the quality of a sound or healthy mind, rationality, the ability to discern right and wrong, "believing and thinking as you ought to believe and think, according to me," and any number of other definitions which users find expedient.

The word itself comes from the root adjective "sane," which stems from Latin "sanus," or "healthy." One could reasonably argue, then, that a sane mind is a healthy mind. Let us examine this further. Health, in general, denotes strength, soundness, proper functioning, especially of biological systems. The mind is generally regarded as the seat of awareness and reasoning, leading us to the conclusion that if one is clear and accurate in his awareness and reasoning, he might be regarded as "sane."

Who shall determine, however, what constitutes clear and accurate awareness and reasoning and what constitutes inaccuracy in these areas? To what degree must errancy intrude into the picture before one is determined no longer sane, but InSane??

There are a number of objective criteria whereby one may observe the workings of a mind and determine their accuracy, but the largest portion of these have been declared to be more useful in determining IntelliGence than sanity. One's ability to perform mathematical computations, identify shapes, take the next deductive step, identify patterns in data, all are related to mental accuracy, but may be poor indicators of sanity. The kinds of tasks which one performs accurately, then, may have an impact on the perception of one as sane or not.

More than mere accuracy has been introduced to the picture, however, as conformance and agreement with societal norms have played as great a role in the determination of sanity historically as any other criteria.

(to be completed as time permits) -- AyeSpy

This article is actually better regarded as being about insanity, a topic about which many reams have been written. Examples of encyclopedia articles about this topic for your reference: [mental disorder] -- [insanity (topic in the law)] -- [mental health] -- [insanity (topic in the law)]

""SanIty" is variously defined as; the quality of a sound or healthy mind, rationality, the ability to discern right and wrong, "believing and thinking as you ought to believe and think, according to me," and any number of other definitions which users find expedient." Is this even true, or are you only speculating: who defines the term this way? Shouldn't you consider actual attempts to define the term? Shouldn't you at least say something that reflects what psychologists know and believe about sanity and insanity

Well - hey, Dr. Sanger: I'm not even half done with the article yet. In authoritarian societies, under the imprimateur of supposed scientific soundness and by psychologists and psychiatrists educated in the best universities, we have had the political definition of sanity - ie, that which authority authorizes you to perceive, think, believe. Those who openly stray from it can be confined to mental institutions in order that their misbehaving minds might be tamed by shock "therapy,", lobotomy, and any number of other treatments. At least one public figure's wife right here in the good 'ol U.S. of A. fell victim to the same definition. South Africa has a history of declaring uppity blacks insane and visiting experimental psychiatric treatments on them, some fatal. I also will be dealing with the issues of reality testing and social norming, other hallmarks of sanity, before I am done. Please be patient. All this to be described as time permits. If you don't like the article when I am done, I am willing to adjust it so that it does not a) offend or b) reflect unsupported "idiosyncratic" views.

Besides - I was unaware WikiPedia was to remain mainstream, or to repeat what other publications have already said over and over?

Bruce, you have the right on Wikipedia to write whatever you want. I reserve the right to write and change whatever I want (such as state my own opinions as to what Wikipedia should be like) as well! For one thing, Wikipedia should be unbiased. An article about sanity, in my opinion, should not be about Bruce's views about sanity, or Larry's views, or any one person's views, because that's inherently biased. It should be about what is generally known and believed about sanity, making plenty of room for a clear statement of the view of those mental health professionals who happen to believe as Bruce believes (or rather, vice-versa). Isn't that reasonable? -- LarrySanger