1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910298080603321

Autore

Kellerman Henry

Titolo

Psychoanalysis of Evil [[electronic resource] ] : Perspectives on Destructive Behavior / / by Henry Kellerman

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cham : , : Springer International Publishing : , : Imprint : Springer, , 2014

ISBN

3-319-07392-3

Edizione

[1st ed. 2014.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (163 p.)

Collana

SpringerBriefs in Psychology, , 2192-8363

Disciplina

170

Soggetti

Philosophy of mind

Cognitive psychology

Philosophy of Mind

Cognitive Psychology

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Part I: Evil: Discussion I - The Garden -- Entering the domain of evil -- The nature of the Serpent in Paradise: Who or what is the Serpent? -- Theological references to evil -- Philosophical references to evil -- Psychoanalytic references to evil -- Part II: Discussion II - Individuals and Societies -- Hitler and genocide -- Stalin and genocide -- Turkey's genocide against Armenians -- Sample of other 20th century genocides: Bangladeshi, Cambodian and Rwandan.

Sommario/riassunto

For all our knowledge of psychopathology and sociopathology--and despite endless examinations of abuse and torture, mass murder and genocide--we still don't have a real handle on why evil exists, where it derives from, or why it is so ubiquitous. A compelling synthesis of diverse schools of thought, Psychoanalysis of Evil identifies the mental infrastructure of evil and deciphers its path from vile intent to malignant deeds. Evil is defined as manufactured in the psyche: the acting out of repressed wishes stemming from a toxic mix of harmful early experiences such as abuse and neglect, profound anger, negative personality factors, and mechanisms such as projection. This analysis brings startling clarity to seemingly familiar territory, that is, persons and events widely perceived as evil. Strongly implied in this far-reaching understanding is a call for more accurate forms of



intervention and prevention as the author: Reviews representations of evil from theological, philosophical, and psychoanalytic sources. Locates the construction of evil in psychodynamic aspects of the psyche. Translates vague abstractions of evil into recognizable concepts. Exemplifies this theory with the lives and atrocities of Hitler and Stalin. Applies psychoanalytic perspective to the genocides in Turkey, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Rwanda. Revisits Hannah Arendt's concept of "the banality of evil." Psychoanalysis of Evil holds a unique position in the literature and will gather considerable interest among readers in social psychology, psychoanalysis, sociology, and political anthropology. Historians of mass conflict should find it instructive as well.