> I don't think I would call it psychopathology. The
> majority of the Russian population in the late 1800s
> was pretty much living in a medieval society with a
> medieval worldview. They believed in the literal
> presence of the Devil in daily affairs, witches, the
> Tsar as the representative of God on Earth,
> wonder-working icons, and Jewish Blood Libel (not a
> big step from that to Stalinist show trials). For
> instance, a Cossack woman who went around with her
> head uncovered would be considered a witch and
> probably killed by her fellow villagers. Those were
> facts to them.
If your epistemological premises lead to absurd conclusions, you should consider revising them.
Ted