This is a response to Phil Corlett's contribution to the blog, posted on behalf of Max Coltheart.
I think it would be helpful if at this stage the distinction between monothematic and polythematic delusions were introduced. A monothematic delusional condition is one where the patient has only a single delusional belief (or a small set of delusional beliefs related to a single theme). A polythematic delusional condition is one where the patient has many different and unrelated delusional beliefs. This distinction between monothematic and polythematic delusion was offered by Davies, Coltheart, Langdon and Breen (2001) and has been discussed by the philosopher Jennifer Radden in her book (Radden, 2010).
As Coltheart (2013) noted “Well-known cases of polythematic delusion include Daniel Schreber, a judge in the German Supreme Court, who believed that he had the plague, that his brain was softening, that divine forces were preparing him for a sexual union with God, and that this would create a new race of humans who would restore the world to a lost state of blessedness (Bell 2003); more details of his case are provided on pp. 50-52 of Radden’s book. Another example was the Nobel laureate John Nash (who was diagnosed with schizophrenia); among the delusional beliefs he held were that he would become Emperor of Antarctica, that he was the left foot of God on Earth, and that his name was really Johann von Nassau (Capps 2004).”
Max Coltheart |
As Coltheart (2013) noted “Well-known cases of polythematic delusion include Daniel Schreber, a judge in the German Supreme Court, who believed that he had the plague, that his brain was softening, that divine forces were preparing him for a sexual union with God, and that this would create a new race of humans who would restore the world to a lost state of blessedness (Bell 2003); more details of his case are provided on pp. 50-52 of Radden’s book. Another example was the Nobel laureate John Nash (who was diagnosed with schizophrenia); among the delusional beliefs he held were that he would become Emperor of Antarctica, that he was the left foot of God on Earth, and that his name was really Johann von Nassau (Capps 2004).”