Judgement disorder in psychopathology: lack of comprehension or loss of reason?

Acting upon the selection of individual data, the combination of which will supply the appropriate verbal expression, is based upon a particular art, i.e., that of being able to judge. The mastery of this art is never fully g uaranteed. We possess the capacity to bring together heterogeneous elements (a colour and a dimen-sional volume, or a sensitive appearance and the nam e given to that appearance), but there is no rule which automatically guide s the operation towards an admissible aim, i.e., an appropriate aim. In fac t, each act of judgement implies a fitting together of considerations, comp arisons and reassessments, the finalization of which indicates the interven tion of an extrinsic argument or ratio. The most general of all ratios is t hat of reason, and its role consists of enclosing no matter which successio n of judgements within a totality, i.e., that of the unity of the senses. T he act which consists of finalizing a succession of judgements is that of c omprehension. It is not the equivalent of that act which consists in interp reting or in providing a meaning, an operation which is based on the orderi ng of the succession of judgements involved. The activity regarding the psy chotic thought process, a reasoning disorder is not implicated. If an objec t of thought which is understood and held to be existent is not found to be suitable (hallucinations, imposed ideas, interpretations, delusions, a biz arre state), this is because the causative operation is based on an inadequ ate judgement. The anomaly is the result of a malfunctioning regarding the use of those rules which link experience to the representations of the thou ght process. When a judgement disorder sensu stricto becomes apparent in an individual whose system has not become weakened by an organic disorder, an d who therefore retains full functional integrity, that individual does not recognize the anomaly which affects him, but rather its effects. The judge mental disorder is the result of an objective error or malfunctioning, and it is then justified to adopt the approach advocated by Emmanuel Kant to in vestigate the nature of this disorder, i.e., the theory of schematism. The approach which constitutes a precautionary measure regarding a disorder in this inherent gift, i.e., the art of judgement, is that of adopting a criti cal attitude. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.