From: "Andrew Phelps" <math_anxiety@yahoo.com>
To: withholdapadues@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2009 6:27 PM
Subject: Re: [withholdapadues] Seligman selected for Wiley Prize in Psychology
Hi
What concerns me is that clinical psychology has been in a condition of "torture denial" for some decades at least. Some here e.g. Bryant Welch have noted the "State of Confusion" and acted vigorously. But there has been no statement from "Ethical APA" regarding "torture denial" as a way of life in U.S. clinical psychology. And Seligman for his part has made an effort to build "positive psychology" directly as a challenge to the prevailing "torture denial" mentality.
The "Ethical APA" has put "torture denial" on the table in terms of the APA's involvement with the military. But I think it should consider the "boundary" questions related to clinical and forensic practice. It may be true that Seligman does "positive psychology" in a half-hearted way [?] and also doesn't join the "Ethical APA" ranks of outspoken challenge. Mitchell and Jessen by contrast do NOT have any
conceivable redeeming virtue in the way that Seligman arguably does.Still awarding this prize seems hard to justify.
Andrew Phelps
On Tue, 7/7/09, Tsr wrote:
What I continue to find strange is that he has not decried the use of his theories at GITMO and other dark places. It wouldn't be all that difficult to say something like " . . . if true, I denounce this as a misuse of my research and an abuse of science . . . "
July 14, 2008
The allegation that I "provided assistance in the process" of torture is completely false.