Humanizing Evil

<p>Psychoanalysis has traditionally had difficulty in accounting for the existence of evil. Freud saw it as a direct expression of unconscious forces whereas more recent theorists have examined the links between early traumatic experiences and later ‘evil’ behaviour. <i>Humanizing Evil: Psychoanalytic Philosophical and Clinical Perspectives </i>explores the controversies surrounding definitions of evil and examines its various forms from the destructive forces contained within the normal mind to the most horrific expressions observed in contemporary life. </p><p>Ronald Naso and <b>Jon Mills</b> bring together an international group of experts to explore how more subtle factors can play a part such as conformity pressures or the morally destabilizing effects of anonymity and show how analysts can understand and work with such factors in clinical practice.<i> </i>Each chapter is unified by the view that evil is intrinsically linked to human freedom regardless of the gap experienced by perpetrators between their intentions and consequences. While some forms of evil follow seamlessly from psychopathology others call this relationship into question. Rape murder serial killing and psychopathy show very clear links to psychopathology and character whereas the horrors of war religious fundamentalism and political extremism resist such reductionism. </p><p>Humanizing <i>Evil</i> is unique in the diversity of perspectives it brings to bear on the problem of evil. It will be essential reading for psychoanalysts psychotherapists philosophers and Jungians. Because it is an integrative depth-psychological effort it will interest general readers as well as scholars from a variety of disciplines including the humanities philosophy religion mental health criminal justice political science sociology and interdisciplinary studies. </p><p>Ronald Naso Ph.D. ABPP is psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist in independent practice in Stamford CT. The author of numerous papers on psychoanalytic topics he is an associate editor of <i>Contemporary Psychoanalytic Studies</i> and contributing editor of <i>Division/Review </i>and <i>Journal of Psychology and Clinical Psychiatry</i>. His book <em>Hypocrisy Unmasked: Dissociation Shame and the Ethics of Inauthenticity</em> was published by Aronson in 2010.</p><p>Jon Mills Psy.D. Ph.D. ABPP is a philosopher psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist. He is Professor of Psychology & Psychoanalysis at Adler Graduate Professional School Toronto. A 2006 2011 and 2013 Gradiva Award winner he is Editor of two book series in psychoanalysis on the Editorial Board for <i>Psychoanalytic Psychology</i> and is the author and/or editor of thirteen books including his most recent works <i>Underworlds: Philosophies of the Unconscious from Psychoanalysis to Metaphysics</i> and <i>Conundrums: A Critique of Contemporary Psychoanalysis</i> which won the Goethe Award for best book in 2013. </p>