Scott Alexander argues that a purely biological, apolitical taxonomy of mental disorders is impossible due to ethical and practical considerations that inevitably influence classifications. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the limitations of creating a purely biological, apolitical taxonomy of mental disorders. He argues that such a taxonomy is inherently impossible because the classification of mental disorders is not just a scientific issue, but also a practical and ethical one. Using examples like transgender identity, homosexuality, and pedophilia, he demonstrates how biological similarities can conflict with ethical and practical considerations in classification. The post highlights the tension between scientific accuracy, stigma avoidance, and ensuring access to necessary care. Scott concludes that new taxonomies like HiTOP are still useful, but claims of avoiding political bias in disorder classification are unrealistic. Shorter summary