Avoidant Personality Avoidant Personality DisorderDisorder: :

A Diagnostic of A Diagnostic of Darwin’s InvalidityDarwin’s Invalidity

Darwin’s RevolutionDarwin’s Revolution

‘‘You are the greatest You are the greatest Revolutionist in natural history Revolutionist in natural history of this century, if not of all of this century, if not of all centuries’. centuries’.

Hewett Cottrell Hewett Cottrell Watson, botanist, to Watson, botanist, to Darwin, Nov. 1859Darwin, Nov. 1859

Darwin’s RevolutionDarwin’s Revolution

‘‘[The Origin of Species] must soon [The Origin of Species] must soon bring about an entire revolution bring about an entire revolution in opinion in favour of the grand in opinion in favour of the grand principle of the self-evolving principle of the self-evolving powers of nature’.powers of nature’.

Baden Powell, Baden Powell, Savilian Professor of Geometry, Savilian Professor of Geometry, Oxford, 1860Oxford, 1860

Darwin’s RevolutionDarwin’s Revolution

[The Origin of Species] is the [The Origin of Species] is the Whitworth gun of liberalism’.Whitworth gun of liberalism’.

T.H. Huxley, T.H. Huxley, 18601860

Revolution:Revolution: A Conversion A Conversion ExperienceExperience

Liberation and transformation of opinion Liberation and transformation of opinion capacitating a new horizon of improved capacitating a new horizon of improved existenceexistence

Popular image of revolution: euphoric Popular image of revolution: euphoric collective action against oppressors collective action against oppressors (1848; 1789) that confers a new identity(1848; 1789) that confers a new identity

(Ref.: Billington, Fire in the Minds of Men)(Ref.: Billington, Fire in the Minds of Men)

The Old and the NewThe Old and the New

The Oppressors: aristocracy (inequality) The Oppressors: aristocracy (inequality) and clergy (ignorance, superstition)and clergy (ignorance, superstition)

Liberation: freedom, equality, Liberation: freedom, equality, enlightenment enlightenment

Darwin’s revolution: knowledge that Darwin’s revolution: knowledge that dispels the ignorance of oppressive dispels the ignorance of oppressive capturecapture

IRONIESIRONIES

Darwin and his revolution were Darwin and his revolution were sanctified by the oppressor clergy sanctified by the oppressor clergy (Westminster burial)(Westminster burial)

Darwin was a member of the oppressor Darwin was a member of the oppressor class in good standing (a rentier)class in good standing (a rentier)

Darwin suffered grievously in acquiring Darwin suffered grievously in acquiring and communicating his liberating and communicating his liberating knowledgeknowledge

Darwin’s Personal ‘Cross’Darwin’s Personal ‘Cross’

Deeply attached to Emma Deeply attached to Emma

‘‘My dearest old Mammy, Without you, when My dearest old Mammy, Without you, when sick I feel most desolate…Oh Mammy I do long sick I feel most desolate…Oh Mammy I do long to be with you and under your protection for to be with you and under your protection for then I feel safe’ (1848)then I feel safe’ (1848)

Emma was devout, and believed deeply in Emma was devout, and believed deeply in Providence. But after the death of daughter Providence. But after the death of daughter Annie (1851), Darwin replaced Providence by Annie (1851), Darwin replaced Providence by chance. This was a fundamental personal chance. This was a fundamental personal conflict which added a dimension to his (and conflict which added a dimension to his (and her) suffering.her) suffering.

The Hero’s SufferingThe Hero’s Suffering Darwin’s description of symptoms:Darwin’s description of symptoms: ‘ ‘Age 56-57. - For Age 56-57. - For

twenty-five years extreme spasmodic daily & nightly twenty-five years extreme spasmodic daily & nightly flatulence: occasional vomiting, on two occasions flatulence: occasional vomiting, on two occasions prolonged during months. Vomiting preceded by prolonged during months. Vomiting preceded by shivering, hysterical crying[,] dying sensations or shivering, hysterical crying[,] dying sensations or half-faint. & copious and very palid [sic] urine. Now half-faint. & copious and very palid [sic] urine. Now vomiting & every passage of flatulence preceded by vomiting & every passage of flatulence preceded by ringing of ears, treading on air & vision. focus & ringing of ears, treading on air & vision. focus & black dots[,] Air fatigues, specially risky, brings on black dots[,] Air fatigues, specially risky, brings on the Head symptoms[,] nervousness when E[mma]. the Head symptoms[,] nervousness when E[mma]. leaves me...’. From late 1863 to April 1864 he was leaves me...’. From late 1863 to April 1864 he was ‘spreadeagled every day on a sofa, steadily going ‘spreadeagled every day on a sofa, steadily going downhill, wishing he were dead one day, wanting to downhill, wishing he were dead one day, wanting to live and do a little more work on the next.’ live and do a little more work on the next.’

Psychosomatic CyclePsychosomatic CycleAn Identity CrisisAn Identity Crisis

Thought induces symptomsThought induces symptoms

Symptoms induce depressionSymptoms induce depression

Depressive dysphoria induces death Depressive dysphoria induces death wishwish

Pascal’s Syndrome: Pascal’s Syndrome: Positivism as a Symptom of Positivism as a Symptom of

Depression and ManiaDepression and ManiaZygon, 1986Zygon, 1986

Depressive neurosis associated with Depressive neurosis associated with scientific certaintyscientific certainty

Willing self-mortification pays for Willing self-mortification pays for forbidden knowledgeforbidden knowledge

Manic conversion experience Manic conversion experience liberates from the dysphoricliberates from the dysphoric effect effect by denying the reality of the worldby denying the reality of the world

Syndrome sufferersSyndrome sufferers

August Comte: hysteria, August Comte: hysteria, depressiondepression

Hugh Miller: depression, Hugh Miller: depression, suicidesuicide

Thomas Huxley: anxiety, Thomas Huxley: anxiety, depressiondepression

Herbert Spencer: depression, Herbert Spencer: depression, death wishdeath wish

Ernst Mach: conversion Ernst Mach: conversion experience, world denialexperience, world denial

Max Weber: depression, Max Weber: depression, invalidityinvalidity

Ralph Colp, To Be an Invalid Ralph Colp, To Be an Invalid (1977); More on Darwin’s Illness (1977); More on Darwin’s Illness

(2000)(2000)++Physical symptoms (retching, flatulence, eczema, ++Physical symptoms (retching, flatulence, eczema, tachycardia, weakness) due to Chagas’ diseasetachycardia, weakness) due to Chagas’ disease

++Assembles detailed evidence for Darwin’s sense of ++Assembles detailed evidence for Darwin’s sense of guilt for espousing evolution. Establishes correlation guilt for espousing evolution. Establishes correlation between severity of Chagas symptoms and intensity of between severity of Chagas symptoms and intensity of evolution research/writingevolution research/writing

++Writing Origin was ‘the main causes of ills to which ++Writing Origin was ‘the main causes of ills to which my flesh is heir to’. Could not write Origin for 20 my flesh is heir to’. Could not write Origin for 20 minutes ‘without interruption of pain’minutes ‘without interruption of pain’

Avoidant (or Dependent) Avoidant (or Dependent) Personality DisorderPersonality Disorder

Life long pattern of wariness of others, Life long pattern of wariness of others, feelings of inadequacy, self disparagement, feelings of inadequacy, self disparagement, pain of feeling rejectedpain of feeling rejected

Avoidance of interactions that may lead to Avoidance of interactions that may lead to rejection. This complicates work and personal rejection. This complicates work and personal relationshipsrelationships

Strong desire for acceptance and approval, Strong desire for acceptance and approval, consistent with ambitionconsistent with ambition

Some case dataSome case data

++Withdrawal to Downe, and substitution ++Withdrawal to Downe, and substitution of written for personal contact, was major of written for personal contact, was major avoidance strategyavoidance strategy

++Darwin stressed his horror of engaging ++Darwin stressed his horror of engaging in open debatein open debate

++There are numerous statements of his ++There are numerous statements of his resentment of criticisms; he admitted resentment of criticisms; he admitted hating some critics (Owen)hating some critics (Owen)

++He deeply resented Lyell’s prolonged ++He deeply resented Lyell’s prolonged resistance to public endorsement of Originresistance to public endorsement of Origin

More case dataMore case data

++Abstained (mostly) from expressing ++Abstained (mostly) from expressing anger/impatience in printanger/impatience in print

++Expressed great satisfaction with ++Expressed great satisfaction with Huxley’s acerbic attacks on his criticsHuxley’s acerbic attacks on his critics

++Numerous statements of his ambition, ++Numerous statements of his ambition, highlighted by his mortification at highlighted by his mortification at Wallace’s priority in the discovery of Wallace’s priority in the discovery of natural selection; and by his exaggeration natural selection; and by his exaggeration of the originality of his thoughtof the originality of his thought

++Darwin’s relations with trusted persons were ++Darwin’s relations with trusted persons were normal, apart from his extreme dependence on Emmanormal, apart from his extreme dependence on Emma

++No evidence of dysfunction in the routines of life—++No evidence of dysfunction in the routines of life—household management, business activity, service to household management, business activity, service to Downe community activitiesDowne community activities

++He experienced and expressed a normal range of ++He experienced and expressed a normal range of emotions, especially affection for offspring and anger emotions, especially affection for offspring and anger at mistreatment of domestic animalsat mistreatment of domestic animals

Summary ThoughtSummary Thought

‘‘Grief and guilt surely played their part in his Grief and guilt surely played their part in his psyche. Fear, too, especially in the way his psyche. Fear, too, especially in the way his body would most often fail when he intended body would most often fail when he intended make a public appearance, suggesting some make a public appearance, suggesting some deep-seated dread of exposure. His customary deep-seated dread of exposure. His customary reticence may have reflected a wish to avoid reticence may have reflected a wish to avoid getting involved with other people’s emotionsgetting involved with other people’s emotions—reticence and modesty could have been the —reticence and modesty could have been the polite face of dissociation, the spurning of polite face of dissociation, the spurning of closenesscloseness’. --’. --Biographer Janet BrowneBiographer Janet Browne

CriticismsCriticisms

++Age of onset. The young Darwin was ++Age of onset. The young Darwin was deferential, but evidence of avoidance does deferential, but evidence of avoidance does not appear until about age 30. not appear until about age 30.

++Dr. Colp doesn’t accept the avoidance ++Dr. Colp doesn’t accept the avoidance diagnosis.diagnosis.