Of Pathics and Evil

Book excerpt: Joseph Sguigna researched the subject of evil in relation to psychopathy for sixteen years, and his book Of Pathics and Evil: A Philosophy Against Malice, is the culmination of that research. Mr. Sguigna's insightful approach to the subject of psychopathy differs from all other books on the subject from four standpoints: (1) it is a compilation of personal accounts from psychopaths themselves and from their victims; (2) he has cleared up the frustrating problem of distinguishing the differences between the psychopath, the sociopath, the narcissist, and the psychotic; (3) he has consolidated these four terms under the inclusive term "pathics"; (4) he has brought to the foreground an awareness of pathic behavior in both women and children, which has been mostly in the background of (psycho) pathic studies; and (5) he explores the phenomenon of the pathic character in relation to human evil through an extensive compilation of quotations by eminent persons on the subject of evil as inherent to human nature.