From: kumar@ug.cs.dal.ca (kumar yelubandi)
Subject: RE: a few thoughts on Fabrikant
Organization: Math, Stats & CS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 23:11:14 GMT

>From: mroussel@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca (Marc Roussel)
>Subject: Re: a few comments on Fabrikant
>In article <BtnvIz.4pF@cs.dal.ca> kumar@ug.cs.dal.ca (kumar yelubandi) writes:
>>	Point taken.  Though I must point out, I find it
>>	hard to believe that any biochemical imbalance 
>>	in the brain (I'm sure you would agree that
>>	schizophrenia and like neuroses can be linked to
>>	biochemistry) would allow a manc
>>	to function at the top of his intellectual ability.
>
>     Actually, I'm quite sure that this is wrong too.  Many paranoid
>schizophrenics are very highly talented individuals.  (I saw one
>documentary once which actually called paranoid schizophrenia a disease
>of the hyperintelligent.  One of the case studies in this documentary
>was a professor as well.  He was quite productive between bouts of the
>disease and sometimes even in the midst of attacks.)
>     Isn't anyone else suspicious about the fact that he seemed to be
>doing quite well until last year?  (By this I mean that all the reports
>e have seen indicate that he was well-respected and working normally at
>Concordia.)  Sudden degradations in work relationships are a classic sign
>of paranoid schizophrenia.
>     Again, I have no training in psychology, so if anyone out there
                                   ^^^^^^^^^^^
>does and can either confirm my impressions or contradict them, feel free
>to do so.

>				Marc R. Roussel
>                                mroussel@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca


	You were quite convincing.  But I did a little reading anyway.  
	Suffice it to say, I'm no longer convinced.  Two other would-be
	psychiatrists sent e-mail supporting your equation of paranoid
	schizophrenia and hyper-intelligence.  And I have no reason to
	suspect that you, a would-be psychologist, are any less
	culpable than they when you assert this equivalence.

	But let's not be too bold as to make statements like "I'm quite
	sure that this is wrong, too"; in response to my doubts about
	schizophrenics being able to perform at top intellectual capacity.
	The fact of the matter is, paranoid schizophrenia is still
	largely misunderstood.  Let me present a few excerpts from the
	medical encyclopaedia we have at home.  It is somewhat dated, but I
	think it's still relevant to this discussion (we are debating general
	behaviour, not a microscopic understanding of the disease).

	(circa 1970)

	"...four types of schizophrenia have been defined...in simple
	schizophrenia, there is gradual mental deterioration and little
	tendency to have delusions and hallucinations...paranoid
	schizophrenia is marked by suspiciousness and delusions of 
	persecution (SEE PARANOIA)...the catatonic type tends to fluctuate 
	between apathy and hyperactivity; in the hyperactive phase, erratic
	and confused behaviour are often combined with delusions of grandeur
	...the hebephrenic type is marked by incoherent speech, laughing,
	and crying without cause, and generally bizarre behaviour..."


	It is an old book, but I doubt very much that the symptons are
	much different today, even after taking into account our better
	medical understanding of the state.  The above article doesn't
	mention hyper-intelligence, as I'm sure it would have if there had
	been an overwhelming number of cases fitting that profile.  
		Now, I'm not saying that hyper-intelligence doesn't have 
	a role in paranoid schizophrenia.  All I'm asking is keep an open
	mind to the possibility that the two are not as strongly coupled
	as has been intimated by yourself and a few others.
		I would like to add that often, those that are seen to 
	be threatening to an establishment, are branded by that 
	establishment as being "unstable, schizophrenic, dans-la-lune, etc."
	Classic case:  Marilyn Monroe 

	And I must iterate once more...there is no justification for what 
	Fabrikant did.  Whatever he was then, he is now also a murderer.

	Kumar

ps:   	...oops, I must break away.  I think somebody's lurking in my
	refrigerator.  (now, don't you go accusing me of being 
	hyper-intelligent, y'hear!)

	

	
-- 
                                  *******************************************
   Kumar Yelubandi                 **  I don't believe in a lot           **
   (good wines > good times!)      **  of things. And I quit thinking     **
   ...in the year 2525...          **  six years ago, so...DON'T BOTHER ME!!! 
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