Famous criminologist, anthropologist, and psychiatrist, Dr Lombroso, investigated the memetic anecdotal belief that genius is associated with degenerative symptoms, or may even be a version of insanity, and presented his findings as a fascinating and controversial theory that the creative and imaginative celebrities throughout history have also displayed what he termed as "atavistic" symptoms, or defects resembling what is commonly seen in the unwell. Citations of evidence are drawn from a rich variety of references sources, including autopsy reports of brains and skulls, biographical data, the influence of environmental and seasonal changes on inventiveness, and even from the records of thousands of admittance into prisons and asylums of France and Italy. This book can be considered as a sort of sequel to his better known and also highly controversial theories about criminality associated with physical manifestations, often categorised as "psuedoscience". However, it should be noted that although his claims are factual and verifiable, his choice of selective evidence and the absence of a control group should be considered when reading the book. - Summary by Leon Harvey
Chapters
1 PREFACE 14 min 2 PART 1.THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GENIUS. CHAPTER 1. HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM. Aristotle, Plato, Democritus, Felix Plater, Pascal, Diderot, Modern writers on genius 8 min 3 CHAPTER II. GENIUS AND DEGENERATION. The signs of degeneration, Height, Rickets, Emaciation, Physiognomy, Cranium and Brain, Stammering, Lefthandedness, Sterility, Unlikeness to Parents, Precocity, Delayed development, Misoneism, Vagabondage, Unconsciousness, Instinctiveness, Somnambulism, The Inspiration of Genius, Contrast, Intermittence, Double Personality, Stupidity, Hyperasthesia, Paraesthesia, Amnesia, Originality, Fondness for special words 1 h 13 min 4 CHAPTER III. LATENT FORMS OF NEUROSIS AND INSANITY IN GENIUS. Chorea and Epilepsy, Melancholy, Megalomania, Folie du doute, Alcoholism, Hallucinations, Moral Insanity, Longevity 58 min 5 CHAPTER IV. GENIUS AND INSANITY. Resemblance between genius and insanity, Men and women of genius who have been insane, Montanus, Harrington, Haller, Schumann, Gérard de Nerval, Baudelaire, Concato, Mainländer, Comte, Codazzi, Bolyai, Cardan, Tasso, Swift, Newton, Rousseau, Lenau, Széchényi, Hoffmann, Foderà, Schopenhauer, Gogol 1 h 8 min 6 PART 2. THE CAUSES OF GENIUS. CHAPTER I. METEROLOGICAL INFLUENCES OF GENIUS, The influence of weather on the insane, Sensitiveness of men of genius to barometrical conditions, Sensitiveness to thermometrical conditions 35 min 7 CHAPTER II. CLIMATIC INFLUENCES ON GENIUS. Influence of great centres, Race and hot climate, The distribution of great masters, Orographic influences, Influence of healthy race, Parallelism of high stature and genius, Explanations 36 min 8 CHAPTER III. THE INFLUENCE OF RACE AND HEREDITARY ON GENIUS AND INSANITY. Race, Insanity, The influence of sex, The heredity of genius, Criminal and insane parentage and descent of genius, Age of parents, Conception 37 min 9 CHAPTER IV. THE INFLUENCE OF DISEASE ON GENIUS. Spinal diseases, Fevers, Injuries to the head and their relation to genius 4 min 10 CHAPTER V. THE INFLUENCE OF CIVILIZATION AND OF OPPORTUNITY. Large Towns Large Schools, Accidents, Misery, Power, Education 17 min 11 PART 3. GENIUS IN THE INSANE. CHAPTER I. INSANE GENIUS IN LITERATURE. Periodicals published in lunatic asylums, Synthesis, Passion, Atavism, Conclusion 35 min 12 CHAPTER II. ART IN THE INSANE. Geographical distribution, Profession, Influence of the special form of alienation, Originality, Eccentricity, Symbolism, Obscenity, Criminality and moral insanity, Uselessness, Insanity as a subject, Absurdity, Uniformity, Summary, Music among the insane 53 min 13 CHAPTER III. LITERARY AND ARTISTIC MATTOIDS. Definition, Physical and psychical characteristics, Their literary activity, Examples, Lawsuit mania, Mattoids of genius, Bosisio, The décadent poets, Verlaine, Mattoids in art 1 h 7 min 14 CHAPTER IV. Part 1. POLITICAL AND RELIGIOS LUNATICS AND MATTOIDS. Part played by the insane in the progressive movements of humanity, Examples, Probable causes, Religious epidemics of the Middle Ages 33 min 15 CHAPTER IV. Part 2. POLITICAL AND RELIGIOS LUNATICS AND MATTOIDS. Francis of Assisi, Luther, Savonarola, Cola da Rienzi 1 h 6 min 16 CHAPTER IV. Part 3. POLITICAL AND RELIGIOS LUNATICS AND MATTOIDS. San Juan de Dios, Campanella, Prosper Enfantin, Lazzaretti, Passanante, Guiteau, South Americans 45 min 17 PART IV. SYNTHESIS. THE DEGENERATIVE PSYCHOSIS OF GENIUS. CHAPTER I. Characteristics of Insane Men of Genius, Characterlessness, Vanity, Precocity, Alcoholism, Vagabondage, Versatility, Originality, Style, Religious doubts, Sexual abnormalities, Egoism, Eccentricity, Inspiration 30 min 18 CHAPTER II. ANALOGY OF SANE TO INSANE GENIUS. Want of character, Pride, Precocity, Alcoholism, Degenerative signs, Obsession, Men of genius in revolutions 10 min 19 CHAPTER III. THE EPILEPTOID NATURE OF GENIUS. Etiology, Symptoms, Confessions of men of genius, The life of a great epileptic, Napoleon, Saint Paul, The saints, Philanthropic hysteria 32 min 20 CHAPTER IV. SANE MEN OF GENIUS. Their unperceived defects, Richelieu, Sesostris, Foscolo, Michelangelo, Darwin 11 min 21 CHAPTER V. Conclusions 6 min
