VP.Numan.response to Dr Khalil

Arabpsynet	Points de Vue / Points of View	شبكة العلوم النفسية العربية

This is in response to Dr. Khalil Fadhil's "point of view" entitled "Intellectuals' Treason a particular psychology" Numan M. Gharaibeh Glastonbury, CT 06033 – USA Email : n_gharaibeh@yahoo.com
This is in response to Dr. Khalil Fadhil’s article “Intellectuals Treason…Particular or Special or Private Psychology.” Dr. Fadhil refers to the original article by Dr. Mustafa Abdul Ghani “Intellectuals Treason… Private Testimony or Special Testimony.” Unfortunately I could not locate through the internet the original Arabic article in Al-Ahram by Dr. Abdul Ghani, but I got some idea about it through the quotations that Dr. Fadhil provided. I had the following views regarding the opinions of Dr. Fadhil and Dr. Abdul Ghani as quoted in Dr. Fadhil’s article. 1- There should have been some reference to “The Treason of the Intellectuals” by Edward Said in Al-Ahram Weekly 24-30 June 1999 Issue No. 435. (Something along the lines that the term was used before but in a different context, etc). Although the articles are not even close, the similarity in the title deserves giving Edward Said some credit for it especially if he truly was the first to come up with the term (I did not look into the origin of this expression in English or Arabic). I don’t know if Dr. Mustafa Abdul Ghani may have translated the term to its Arabic equivalent or came up with it (4 years after Edward Said’s article) without being aware of Said’s article. 2- The article Dr. Fadhil appears to be a political opinion and not a clinical/psychological opinion regarding the “The Intellectual.” If it was intended just as an opinion it should not have included “Psychology” in the title and the impression it gives to the reader as “ a theoretical analysis or study.” 3- There seems to be a reference to a stereotypic “intellectual” or “intellectuals.” I believe the Arabs and Moslems, just like all the negatively stereotyped communities, have fought hard against stereotypy and here we are finding some of our own stereotyping a segment of our own gratuitously. 4- The excessive abstractions and adornments leave the article incomprehensible at times under the guise of sophistication. 5- Let me agree for a minute with Dr. Fadhil that there is this hypothetical stereotypical “Arab Intellectual” or “Egyptian Intellectual.” I believe his attempt at analysis of this hypothetical “intellectual” is based on generalizations and very little content. A close analysis of the language quickly reveals it is similar to president Bush’s empty langauge. 6- The assumption that Dr. Fadhil brings that “the intellectual” has a predisposition for treason, sedition, collaboration, or whatever fancy terms may be used, has no grounds or foundation to support it. It is brought to us without any introduction or proof. 7- Dr. Fadhil apparently was annoyed by some Ali Salim and made this dissertation to lash back at him and “Intellectuals” like Ali Salim. 8- The level of cognitive distortions and traps is appalling in the article especially the black and white dichotomies. 9- I believe the study of the “psyche of some supposed Arab Intellectual” is a futile pursuit from a scientific point of view. Stereotypes are generalizations to simplify. There are more likely wrong than right and have poor predictive value. 10- The apocalyptic visions in the article are uncalled for, at least not in the context of a clinical/psychological endeavor. 11- At the end of the article I find myself asking: what was the basic idea that Dr. Fadhil wanted me to get from the article? Are we to take home that Arab intellectuals are treasonous, collaborators, not to be trusted, etc, or that “ignorance is a bless?” I wonder if Dr. Fadhil considers himself “an Arab intellectual?” Madam/ Sir: Please let me know if I should send my contributions in English to a particular person. Following is a contribution to View Points since the English documents are very few. Regards, Numan M. Gharaibeh, MD
Document Code VP.0041	Numan.responsetoDrKhalil	ترميز المستند VP.0041