Page IV: Research in Law & Psychiatry

Updated: 4/28/2025

I. Research in Law:

1. Happiness, sadness, anger, romantic feelings, etc., are our emotions. Emotions are normal for a human to have, and our emotions influence our behavior.
2. The dimensions of society and the dimensions of the individual contribute to our behavior. Additionally, many people face problems in their lives, including problems of the inner city and the ghetto. These problems include poverty, homelessness, and peer pressure.
3. Determine the reasons for committing the act instead of looking simply at the act itself.
4. The Bible reminds us that man is flawed, that is, that man has faults.
5. "Sometimes in life, you have to make mistakes in order to learn the right way."
6. In nature, sometimes animals fight, and human beings also fight sometimes in their lives.
7. I understand that someone died and a life was lost, but that doesn't make it right to take the life of this person in repayment or punishment.
8. “Sometimes we have to make mistakes as children, in order to learn the right way as adults.”
9. Many people were raised in military households.
10. "The further he got, the more each word seemed to give rise to another word, which at once gave rise to a third, a third to a fourth and so on, so that his mouth was full, and the words came out in the most picturesque order." --Fyodor Dostoevsky

II. 1. "Some laws contradict human nature."
2. Human nature can sometimes conflict with society's laws.
3. "Sometimes our emotions can control us more than our sense of reason."
4. If a person makes "empty threats," out of anger, which have no real basis, then he should not be prosecuted.
5. It is normal to have angry, evil feelings towards a person who has disrespected, insulted, or offended you.
6. "White-collar crimes are different than criminal crimes. White-collar crimes do not involve physical harm, for example.” -- Victor Hugo
7. Some laws are more abstract and imaginary, and some laws are more real and concrete.
8. If a person is fined by the state, and cannot pay the fine, and has in the past been mistreated by the state, and has contributed to the prosperity of the state, then he should not be prosecuted.
9. If a person has made an agreement, then that agreement should not be cancelled due to a mere technicality.
10. "House of the Dead", by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a novel about the horrors of prison life.
11. People who have been to jail have endured considerable suffering, and other people should show them compassion and sympathy for that.

III. 1. "This courtroom is being too formal, judge. Lighten up please."
2. Some court proceedings and legal documents are more abstract than concrete. In this instance, plain English explanations are helpful.
3. "The courtroom is your friend, attorney's should feel comfortable and at home in the courtroom, and an attorney should take his time when defending a client, especially when the case looks good for them." --Cicero
4. Determine the reasons why police officers do what they do.
5. Sometimes police officers have to make split second decisions, based on several factors.
6. "Objections to heroism as taking into account fear, the harms that can happen to a human being, and public safety." --Cicero
7. Police officers (and other workers) or their families should be compensated for injuries that they receive on the job, including death.
8. "Jails and prisons should be held accountable when inmates get injured or die in altercations while in their custody. This could involve financial compensation, prosecution of any guilty parties, and prison reform."
9. If a person dies then his family should be compensated according to how much he would earn over his lifetime. Compensation should be proportionate to one’s injuries instead of being too excessive.
10. Due to administrative red tape, the case was delayed for a long time.
11. The senators kept lines of communication open between them.

IV. 1. The death penalty should only be used in extreme cases of hatred or terror.
2. Determine if his crime was serious enough to impose the death penalty.
3. Generally speaking, it is unclear what subjects are protected by the freedom of speech and what subjects are not.
4. If a man has been put to death unjustly, then his family may be entitled to compensation.
5. "The Senator was tried by other Senators." --Herodotus
6. People shouldn't go to court over a small bump that causes little or no damage, in a car crash.
7. In court, people are entitled to an experienced, wise judge. They are also entitled to representation that considers their cultural and social background.
8. Human beings from different world cultures naturally travel, or migrate for trade or to find a better life, in spite of political boundaries.
9. "My kingdom is big enough to hold all peoples, I won't turn anyone away," the king said.
10. Sometimes, when people commit crimes, it is because they really need the money.

V. 1. ⁠The prisoner didn’t want to talk about the crime. The officer drew the words out of the prisoner’s mouth, for the confession, and then arrested him.
2. A gag order, issued by a judge means that within reason, try not to talk to someone — within reason.
3. ⁠Extradition, or a prisoner swap, is a process that involves continuing communication between two countries.
4. There should be a limit to how much time a person serves in jail — say, 5 years maximum.
5. How do judges determine the length of a person’s prison sentence?
6. In cases of capital punishment, the death penalty, there should be a minimum required number of years to be served, say 10 or 20, before final punishment, to ensure that no errors were made in the case.
7. Happiness, sadness, anger, romantic feelings, etc., are our emotions. Emotions are normal for a human to have.
8. A goal for the court was to ensure that every citizen received fair and equal treatment under the law.
9. "It is normal for people to oppose tyrannical governments.”
10. Businesses should not be dishonest, businesses should be honest.
11. It can be difficult for a good person to distance himself from a criminal group.
12. Accidental vs Intentional crimes - if a crime was committed by accident, then the person should not be punished, but if the crime was committed intentionally, then the person can be punished.



Research in Psychiatry:
VI. 1. Omitted.
2. A psychiatrist shouldn’t humiliate or make his patient feel uncomfortable.
3. There is a difference between speaking generally, and going into every detail about a situation.
4. Psychiatrists should give patients simple, plain English explanations, instead of complicated medical language.
5. Encourage the psychiatrists to explain themselves and talk more.
6. Ensure that your psychiatrist has fully assessed and evaluated you as a patient.
7. How do blood tests, blood pressure results, etc., factor in to our psychiatric care?
8. Overly repetitive testimony is not good for a courtroom.
9. Delays due to technicalities or technical language are not good for a courtroom.
10. I do not believe that most Americans have schizophrenia. I believe that most Americans have normal, organized, and logical thoughts.

11. Government shouldn't unnecessarily encumber its citizens.
12. A psychiatrist's statements should be based on evidence and existing research.
13. Verbal statements are as legally binding as written statements.
14. He was driven to commit suicide by another man.
15. A new, modern law should not outweigh a history of old, established laws. Additionally, it can be useful to learn more about new laws, in order to understand them.
16. One of the doctors looked more experienced and wise than the other doctor.
17. His family was willing to have him arrested in a second, for the smallest things.
18. Deception is wrong. Psychiatrists shouldn't use deceptive practices against patients.
19. Poverty is a legal defense. If a person grew up dirt poor, and he commits a crime, then he shouldn't be punished to the fullest extent of the law. --The Torah
20. If you grow up poor, then you're bound to get into trouble sooner or later. --Angela's Ashes, Frank McCourt

21. The words were taken in their most literal and absolute sense.
22. Request written documentation about your diagnosis, treatment, etc. from your psychiatrist.
23. This information will have the psychiatrist's attacks on your behavior.
24. Defend yourself point by point against the psychiatrist's attacks on your behavior.

VII. 1. One job of psychiatrists is to interpret human emotion and behavior.
2. Many disciplines or fields are flawed.
3. Problems are normal for people to have. Maybe it's wrong for doctors to say that people are mentally ill (schizophrenic, bipolar), just because they have problems. This makes life more complicated, and humans like simplicity.
4. "How did this strange mental disorder come about?" --Voltaire. Here, he questions the origin of mental disorders in people.
5. "Sure, we can talk, I have nothing to hide." -Henrik Ibsen.
6. Charles Dickens and Gabriel Garcia Marquez suggest that many medications are like poison. Maybe psychiatric medications make people feel bad.
7. "Sometimes, medication makes people feel like they're going to faint." --Anton Chekhov
8. "Medication might help your mind, but it poisons your body." --Honore de Balzac
9. "Does it really matter if someone is on medication?" Here, Voltaire questions whether medication actually changes someone's behavior in any noticeable way. It's like, if you put enough sedative medication in anyone, it will change their behavior, but it will also incapacitate them."

VIII. 1. "Mental illness refers to a disease in the brain that requires medication as a remedy." --Alexander Dumas
2. A. Voltaire, in Philosophical Dictionary, questions whether medication actually cures you.
B. Blaise Pascal suggests that medicines do no good unless they heal you at some point in time.
3. The decision to take medication, involves considerable moral conflict.
4. Due to a multitude of reasons, perhaps one should adopt a moral objection to medication.
5. The following information is contained on Trivial Pursuit cards:
A. Depression is known as "the common cold of mental illness." I guess some mental illnesses are more common than others.
B. Placebo is the P-word that is defined as an inert substance administered instead of a drug. If psychiatric drugs are ineffective placebos, then why distribute them at all?
C. Maybe psychiatric drugs are totally useless. The "miracle drug" Krebiozen, supposed to cure cancer, was ultimately found to be totally useless.
6. Maybe over 48 hours is too long to be detained in a psychiatric hospital.
7. "Often, doctors play the role of accountant and attorney. Doctors are also just doing a job, and time is money." --Ivanov, by Anton Chekhov
8. "Sometimes, doctors work under emergency settings, and patients are not supposed to be frightened of their health care worker." --The District Doctor, Ivan Turgenev
9. "Should you treat someone with medication and therapy, and ignore philosophy and religion?" --Anton Chekhov
10. "To help someone, instead of seeking professional treatment, just let time take its course." --Voltaire

IX. 1. “She spoke to me automatically, distant and impersonally. I had to remind her that I was a human being.”
2. "Some people can find fault with anyone, no matter how good, or normal they are." --Homer
3. Voltaire, praises the virtues of tolerance, and reminds us of our freedoms, and of liberty.
4. Mental health classes are flawed because after attending them for months, or even years, students are not cured. And Charles Dickens suggests that mental health classes should give students education on subjects such as English, Math, Art, and Music, etc., and go on field trips.
5. If you want a rewarding way to occupy the time, sometimes it's best to just stay home.
6. Overreliance on doctors causes us to lose our independence.
7. ”Really? There’s no cure for disorganized thoughts? Schizophrenia? Just change your way of thinking. That’s what we go to school for. Seems simple enough to change, simple enough to cure."
8. There is a difference between speaking generally and going into detail.
9. "We don't want to be worried to death." --Fyodor Dostoevsky
10. "If you can't see it or feel it, then it's not a serious illness." --James Joyce
11. “Take life lightly, you’re being too serious.”
12. "The argument was so flawed, it was hard not to laugh."
13. "I have the right not to answer your questions at all; I choose not to comment."
14. "Psychiatrists should follow established rules and procedures." --The Hippocratic Oath
15. If you have a joy of life, then seeking psychiatric help might contradict this.
16. Maybe some people don't need psychiatric help at all.
17. His medication had sedated him so much that it was unhealthy, the doctor said. -Victor Hugo, Les Miserables
18. Psychiatric medication can cause medical problems such as nausea, dizziness, lethargy and sluggishness.


X. Alcoholics Anonymous Guidebook
1. Destructive drinking
2. Accepting weakness.
3. Admitting problem drinking vs doubters who do not acknowledge their addiction.
4. Building up self-confidence.
5. Losing your health, family and job to alcohol.
6. Young people who are potential alcoholics.
7. Hitting rock bottom.
8. Adopting attitudes and actions to improve.
9. Being honest and apologizing for harm caused.
10. Including a higher power, meditation and prayer.
11. The cycle of defeat and recovery.
12. Improving your physical appearance.
13. Jumping through hoops in order to be successful.
14. Finding strength in fellow members.
15. Friends in A.A. who help us see reality.
16. Self-righteousness as our own besetting evil.
17. Defiance as characteristics of many an alcoholic.
18. Lamenting over the problems in our lives.
19. Understanding the difference between sane drinking and alcoholism. Sanity is defined as soundness of mind.
20. The decision to turn our will and our lives over to God, and Alcoholics Anonymous.
21. Ask the polio sufferer who depends on an iron lung with complete trust upon a motor to keep the breath of life in him.
22. Creation gave us instincts for a purpose, although sometimes they cause him problems.
23. No adult man or woman should be in too much dependence upon a parent.
24. He has more problems than just alcohol.
25. Weak people who need security, and the power-mad, who devote themselves to attempting to rule their fellows.
26. An individual's desire for prestige.
27. Blaming other people.
28. The newcomer to A.A.
29. Growth and development of the newcomer.
30. One step in recovery from alcohol is improvement in education and religion.

31. Facing paradoxes, or difficult questions.
32. One's personal relationship with God as an element in recovery. One's understanding of religion.
33. "What are you here for?"
34. The doctors sought to find whatever personality traits, if any, this group of alcoholics had in common.
35. We have sometimes seen families broken apart by misunderstanding, tensions, etc., who are reunited by the A.A. way of life.
36. Give financial gifts, or other gifts, in order to apologize to someone and remain in good graces with them.
37. When our drinking spirals out of control.
38. Human beings are never quite alike.
39. Spending time with friends and spending time alone.
40. What about justifiable anger?

41. If someone cheats us, aren't we entitled to be mad?
42. Humans have daily ups and downs, especially when people or new events throw us off balance and tempt us to make mistakes.
43. In all these situations we need self-restraint, honest analysis of what is involved, a willingness to admit when the fault is ours...
44. We need not be discouraged when we fall into the error of our old ways, for these disciplines are not easy. We shall look for progress, not perfection.
45. A radical change in our outlook will take time, lots of time.
46. Were we trying to teach him a lesson, or punish him?
47. There is a direct linkage between self-examination, meditation, and prayer.
48. Ask for specific solutions to specific problems.
49. Considering each case individually.
50. From serious matters to correcting a minor personal fault.

51. He will learn new things every day.
52. This mighty urge is the root of great human accomplishments, a creative energy that deeply influences our lives.



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