BIOLOGIZING SOCIAL FACTS - AN EARLY-20TH-CENTURY DEBATE ON KRAEPELINSCONCEPTS OF CULTURE, NEURASTHENIA, AND DEGENERATION

This paper uses an historical approach to elucidate two alternative mo des of conceptualizing the relation between social factors and psychol ogical phenomena perceived as pathological. The core features of Neo-K raepelinian psychiatric nosology associated with the introduction of D SM-III in 1980 were also at the center of a debate in early 20th centu ry Germany. The protagonists were Emil Kraepelin and Oswald Bumke. Kra epelin's empirical research selectively focused on somatic factors as independent variables, such as alcohol, syphilitic infection, and here dity. The ensuing nosology marginalised social factors which might con tribute to the etiology and symptom formation of psychiatric condition s. For Bumke, the disorders in question (including the category of neu rasthenia) did not represent qualitative deviations from normal psycho logical states, but quantitative variations of ubiquitous psychologica l functions caused by a multitude of somatic, psychological, and socia l factors. The main arguments of the historical debate are reconstruct ed, with special regard to the professional and political context. The paper illustrates the importance of context-bound pre-'scientific' de cisions for the process of formulating theoretical concepts in psychia try and related disciplines.