General Biology and Philosophy of Organism

Most teachers and students of psychiatry have strongly felt the need for a comprehensive eclectic text-book of psychopathology. The addition of Masserman's text to the existing volumes has-in spite of the considerable merits of this book-only partly satisfied such a need. The reviewer considers the book too difficult and complex for the beginner, partly on account of an unnecessarily complicated and involved language; for the advanced student who seeks comprehensive and precise statements it is too fragmentary and vague. The anatomic, pathological, physiological, and the genetic approaches are not adequately presented. But even reflexology, behaviorism, and psychoanalysis, the cornerstones of Masserman's own theoretical building, are only sketchily portrayed. The book has little continuity; there is repetition and overlap in the chapters on dynamisms and the reviews of various theories. The appendix has little relation to the rest of the book and simply increases its volume. The best chapters deal with Masserman's own theornes, the discussion of the biodynamics of language and the description of his excellent experiments. For a brief critique of biodynamics the reader is referred to a previous review (YALE J. BIOL. & MED., 1943, 16, 101) of Masserman's Behavior and Neurosis. Since the earlier publication Masserman's theories have become more precise, general, and operational. Masserman's own criticism of biodynamics in the present volume is an interesting example of intellectual shadow-boxing. In spite of such limitations the reviewer believes that Masserman's book deserves serious attention from anyone interested in the development of a scienitific psychiatry. The book is stimulating and challenging.