debilism

English

Etymology

Compare Polish debilizm and Russian дебилизм (debilizm), ultimately from Latin debilis (“weak; disabled”).

Noun

debilism (uncountable)

1. (psychology) A hereditary condition characterized by low intelligence in which one can understand words but not abstract concepts.
   • 1971, Polish Endocrinology, volume 22, page 147:

     Psychological examinations Lower intelligence levels predominated in group B (in 5 out of 7 persons examined, including debilism in 2, and mental retardation in 3).

   • [1977 [1976], Marian Mazur, “Cybernetic Cognition of Intellect”, in Proceedings of the International Congress for Cybernetics, volume 8, Namur: Association Internationale de Cybernétique, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 128:

     - Type 1: low intelligence [the ability of distinguishing various stimuli], low docility [the ability of memorizing any stimuli], low talent [the ability of associating some particular stimuli]. Such type is called "debilism".]

   • 2006, Andrew M. Lobaczewski, Political Ponerology, Afterword, p. 221-222

     The old psychiatrists of Eastern Europe also included in their taxonomy "debilism" or "salon debils". This is a qualitative anomaly understood as hereditary and somewhat similar to schizoidia. Such individuals were generally decent, but marked by flat, coaxing talkativeness and an inability to understand any sort of serious matter.

   • 2019 September 30, Kasper Sipowicz, Tadeusz Pietras, “Life unworthy of life – eugenics of “deteriorated” people in the Third Reich”, in Quarterly Journal Fides Et Ratio, volume 39, number 3, →DOI, →ISSN, page 314:

     Among the diseases eligible for such surgical intervention [i.e. sterilization], the following medical conditions were included: debilism, schizophrenia, manic-depressive disorder, […]