Admirable Evasions: How Psychology Undermines Morality

In Admirable Evasions, Theodore Dalrymple explains why human self-understanding has not been bettered by the false promises of the different schools of psychological thought.

Key Arguments:

• Oversimplification of Human Behavior: Dalrymple argues that most psychological explanations of human behavior are not only ludicrously inadequate oversimplifications but also socially harmful.
• Evasion of Personal Responsibility: These explanations allow individuals to evade personal responsibility for their actions by blaming a multitude of scapegoats, such as:
  • Their childhood
  • Their genes
  • Their neurochemistry
  • Even evolutionary pressures

Critique of Psychological Schools:

Dalrymple reveals how various fashionable schools of thought prevent honest self-examination, which is essential for the formation of human character. These include:

• Psychoanalysis
• Behaviorism
• Modern Neuroscience
• Evolutionary Psychology

Instead of fostering self-awareness, these schools:

• Promote self-obsession without self-examination.
• Encourage the gross overuse of mind-affecting medicines.

A Deeper Perspective:

Admirable Evasions also delves into:

• Metaphysical Objections: It questions the fundamental assumptions of psychology.
• The Role of Literature: Dalrymple suggests that literature offers a far more illuminating window into the human condition than psychology could ever hope to provide.