| Summary: | "In the course of twenty-five years' practice as a physician specialising in nervous and mental disorders a large number of people have come under my observation and treatment, suffering from character defects leading to moral failings--some complaining of a tendency to misconduct, which remained a tendency only; others being brought to me for the evil they had already committed, doing harm to themselves or to others. Some of these were addicted to the drink or drug habit, some to sexual perversion, some to ill-temper and violence; while others were youthful liars, thieves, or profligates. Finally, a considerable number consisted of semi-insane and semi-responsible young men and women, morally deficient--sometimes together with mental defect; sometimes mentally so superior, at least in cunning and conversational gifts, as to be admired by everyone with whom they came into contact, until found out. It will be seen, therefore, that the cases of moral derangement which come before the mental specialist are of all kinds; only the professional thief and burglar, and the downright scoundrel, do not consult the physician. This book contains the results of my reflections on these experiences. It is written from the standpoint of the "new psychology," dealing successively, in accordance with their evolution, with the primary emotions and instinctive tendencies which are at the basis of all human behaviour, normal and abnormal. It will be shown that morality is a gradual growth, arising from the conflict between the unconscious instinctive tendencies to self-gratification and self-preservation, and the gregarious instinct which produces in man the various affections, parental, filial, and social, and ultimately tends to altruistic conduct. Some people are naturally moral, some are inherently selfish, and others--perhaps the great majority--are conscious of the two tendencies within them, and remain moral under temptation solely from fear of consequences. The morally deranged can be distinguished from the professional criminal class by the lack of self-control. They are conscious of thoughts and impulses towards evil-doing which they desire to inhibit, but lack the power to do so. They come to the physician to do for them what they cannot do for themselves. In the actual criminal there is no conflict; he "wills" to do wrong. It is the business of the doctor to reform the former; it is the business of the law to punish the latter"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved)
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