Book Review: The Neural Roots of "Sinful" Behaviors

Publication date: March 19, 1403 visit: 188 views

In the book Seven Deadly Sins (Seven Deadly Sins), neuroscientist Guy Leschziner (Guy Leschziner) deals with the scientific investigation of the greatest moral errors from Dante's point of view.

James weighed more than 225 kg in his late 30s. One day, he fell in the bathroom and got stuck between the wall and the shower enclosure. She was unable to stand up due to her weight and felt ashamed to ask for help. As a result, he remained in the same position for three days. Finally, the firemen had to destroy the bathroom to save him. When James was taken to a hospital in London, fungal infections had spread to the folds of his body, his skin was deteriorating in some areas due to lack of oxygen, and he was struggling to breathe. His doctor had trouble finding a vein from which he could draw blood.

That doctor, Guy Lechshiner, now admits that he feels ashamed of what he did at the time: he, along with other young doctors at the hospital, mocked James for his condition. In general, obesity is considered a clear sign of "overeating" and it is usually considered a kind of "moral failure" caused by laziness and lack of will. But in his book, The Seven Deadly Sins: The Biology of Being Human, Lechshiner challenges this view.

He raises this question: "What happens if we take a closer look at the concept of "overeating"? If we take a deeper look at all human errors, what will we understand about them?" In this book, Lechshiner, an expert in neurology and sleep medicine, explores the evolutionary, neurological, and psychological roots of Dante's seven deadly sins in Inferno: anger, lust, pride, greed, envy, sloth, and gluttony. He concludes that these "sins" are inextricably tied to the human experience, and understanding them helps us understand why we behave in certain ways; In fact, this book is an attempt to decipher the biology of being human.

Leshziner's interest in understanding the dark side of man is rooted in his personal life. His family was affected by the bitter experience of his grandfather's escape from the Holocaust; An event that he himself describes as "the ultimate human sin". Also, 25 years of medical experience in London hospitals, where he witnessed various manifestations of the best and worst of human behavior, aroused his curiosity. In this book, he tries to go beyond the observation and treatment of his patients and penetrate deep into their problems.

Leshziner has previously written two other books about the strangest cases he has encountered in his medical career. In The Seven Deadly Sins, some of the most fascinating sections are devoted to patients whose lives are affected by medical problems that are ostensibly perceived as "sins".

In the chapter related to "Anger", we get to know them; Someone who, after having unpredictable epileptic seizures, has violent outbursts and breaks windows and household items. In the "Jealousy" season, we meet Sarah; A woman who is repeatedly obsessed that her husband is cheating on her and has severe attacks of jealousy, but later does not remember anything about these events. In the chapter "Lust", Simon's story is told; A man who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in his early 30s and lost his friends and family due to his obsession with pornography, relationships with sex workers and special massage treatments. (Leshziner has changed the names of the patients to protect their privacy.)

He finally concludes that these "sins" are an integral part of the human experience, and understanding them helps us better understand our own behaviors. This book is an attempt to discover the biology behind our actions.

Guy Leschziner, in addition to introducing people whose physical and mental conditions have pushed them into pathological territory, explores the presence of the Seven Deadly Sins in all of us—traits that, when balanced, have evolutionary advantages. If you get injured or get sick, resting (or "being lazy") will help you recover. Sometimes, anger is necessary to protect yourself. Without libido, none of us would be here. Problems arise when "brain disorders disrupt the delicate balance that exists between our basic instincts and our moral nature" and "the normal emotions that are fundamental to humanity, personal and social development, get out of control."

Leschziner's narrative becomes more interesting from a moral and philosophical point of view when it enters an ambiguous area between the normal and the pathological. As he explores the biological and neurological bases of each of these sins, it becomes clear to himself and the reader that perhaps there is no such thing as sin, independent of the biology and history that shapes each person.

In fact, we are all affected by physical processes that make some of us more prone to traits like greed or pride. For example, people who are arrested for showing off may be considered "deviant" by society, but up to 35 percent of them may have brain disorders that lead them to the behavior. Men who are arrested for violent acts may be called "criminally insane," but they may also suffer from Brunner Syndrome—a genetic disorder that causes a deficiency of an enzyme resulting in increased aggression and anger. Many of our actions, and what we consider our morals and personality, are rooted in our genes, upbringing, and ultimately, our brains. Perhaps what defines us is largely out of our control.

By showing that human "sin" is influenced by genetics, childhood, environment, brain disorders, and other factors, Leschziner engages with the perennial debate about agency: whether humans truly have free will, or whether physical factors beyond our control determine our fate.

In the final chapter of the book, which is rightly named "Free Will", he examines the scientific arguments for and against the existence of free will. Although he doesn't take sides with either view, he emphasizes that doctors and society need to think more about why people behave the way they do. Even the American justice system is beginning to realize that crime is often beyond the individual's control: in some US jurisdictions, genetic tests that show Brunner syndrome and its role in increased aggression are now accepted as evidence.

Leschziner says that instead of labeling people as good or bad, it might be better to ask whether their brains are treatable—a question that I think represents an important shift in the dualistic view of good and evil, but also raises complex ethical challenges.

One of the weaknesses of Leschziner's book is that while it tries to challenge the foundations of the traditional understanding of sin in Western societies, it sometimes inadvertently reinforces some other values. For example, although he emphasizes that overeating is often beyond one's control, he also reinforces the idea that obesity is a negative thing and an "epidemic"—a belief that many writers and thinkers have challenged.

Many of our actions, and what we consider our morals and character, are rooted in our genes, upbringing, and ultimately, our brains.

In the chapter on greed, he explains that it is difficult to find pathological examples of this trait because medicalizing it would require medical professionals to "impose their personal moral vision on others"—something he says many of his colleagues are unwilling to do. But while physicians may be wary of greed, a common trait of the powerful and wealthy, they are not so considerate of other "sins"—for example, gluttony or, in the case of women, lust.

On the subject of sexual desire, Leschziner points to several claims made in evolutionary psychology that merit further investigation: Men tend to evaluate women as potential partners based on their sexual history. Due to evolutionary pressures from hunting and gathering, women are attracted to men with higher income. In a book that aims to shake our collective view of morality and the status quo, these weaknesses undermine the overall narrative.

However, Leschziner's overall project is valuable in examining the physical origins of our "sins." Like the book "Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will" (Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will) by Robert M. Robert M. Sapolsky, his book is an important reminder that these sins are a natural part of being human, and that for some, what appears to be a pathological sin is caused by factors beyond their control—factors that must be understood from a scientific perspective. For the medical community in particular, this is a valuable lesson.

Emily Cataneo is a New England-based author and journalist whose work has appeared in publications such as Slate, NPR, The Baffler, and Atlas Obscura.