Philosophical Depression

A Philosophical Depression is a depressive mental state that is caused by philosophical beliefs

• Counter-Example(s):
  • Major Depressive Disorder.
  • Philosophical Mania.
• See: Meaning of Life, Meaningless Life, Suicide, Mental Status Examination, Antidepressant, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Self-Neglect.

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References

2010

• (Haidt, 2010) ⇒ Jonathan Haidt. (2010). “Jonathan Haidt's Response to (Wolf, 2010).” In: (Wolf, 2010), Princeton University Press. ISBN:9781400834594
  • QUOTE: A age fifteen I began calling myself an atheist. It was bad timing because the next year, in English class, I read Waiting for Godot and plunged into a philosophical depression. This was not a clinical depression with thoughts of personal worthlessness and a yearning for death. It was, rather, the kind of funk that Woody Allen's characters so often exhibited in his early movies.

1977

• (Allen, 1977) ⇒ Woody Allen. (1977). “Annie Hall."
  • …
  • Mrs. Singer: He's been depressed. All of a sudden, he can't do anything.
  • Dr. Flicker: Why are you depressed, Alvy?
  • Mrs. Singer: Tell Dr. Flicker. It's something he read.
  • Dr. Flicker: Something you read, huh?
  • Alvy Singer: The universe is expanding.
  • Dr. Flicker: The universe is expanding?
  • Alvy Singer: Well, the universe is everything, and if it's expanding, someday it will break apart, and that will be the end of everything.
  • Mrs. Singer: What is that your business? He's stopped doing his homework.
  • Alvy Singer: What's the point?
  • Mrs. Singer: What has the universe got to do with it. You're here, in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is not expanding.
  • Dr. Flicker: It won't be expanding for billions of years yet, Alvy. And we've gotta try and enjoy ourselves while we're here. Huh? Huh? Huh? [laughs]
  • …

1866

• (Dostoyevsky, 1866) ⇒ Fyodor Dostoyevsky. (1866). “Crime and Punishment."

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