M. Scott Peck, a psychiatrist, argues that evil is real and that it can be examined clinically. He describes it as a form of militant ignorance, rooted in refusing to acknowledge one's own flaws, and often expressed through scapegoating and denial. The book draws on case histories from his practice, including parents who damaged their children, and on his discussion of the My Lai massacre as an example of group evil. He closes with an analysis of what therapy, and the spiritual practice of love, can and cannot do for people who hold this pattern.
Readers interested in psychology, religion, and ethics will find a serious but accessible attempt to name a problem usually left to theology. It also suits those who read Peck's earlier The Road Less Traveled and want to see where his thinking went next.
Inward-looking and contemplative; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1983
- Language
- EN
