Insanity and Genius: Masks of Madness and the Mapping of Meaning and Value (Second Edition)

In his book about the discovery of the structure of DNA, James Watson wrote, "So we had lunch, telling ourselves that a structure this beautiful just had to exist." Indeed, the quest most often asked by scientists about a scientific theory is "Is it beautiful?" Yes, beauty equals truth. Scientists know, mathematicians know.But the beauties, the truths of mathematics and science were not the truths that inspired the author as a child, and he intuitively knew that the truths he needed come from a different way of knowing, a way of knowing not of the world of logic and reason and explanation (though they have a value), but rather a way of knowing that is of the world expression, a world that enters the truths beyond the grasp of logic.That is what this book is all about. It is an exploration of the greatest minds of human existence struggling to understand the deepest truths of the human condition. This second edition updates the previous one, incorporating new publications on Van Gogh, recent discoveries in neurology, psychology, and the rapid developments in understanding DNA and biotechnology. We've come a long way already from that original discovery by Watson and his coauthor Francis Crick.

About the Author :
Harry Eiss is a Full Professor at Eastern Michigan University, where he teaches World Mythology, Literature and Creative Writing. His publications include The Mythology of Dance; The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke; Divine Madness; Insanity and Genius; and Christ of the Coal Yards for Cambridge Scholars Publishing; Metaesthetics for Pearson Press; and Dictionary of Mathematical Games, Puzzles, and Amusement; Dictionary of Language Games, Puzzles and Amusements; and Literature for Youth on War and Peace for Greenwood Press. He has also edited several books, including Electric Sheep Slouching Towards Bethlehem; Young Adult Literature and Culture; Children's Literature and Culture; the soon-to-be-released Speculative Fiction in a Post Modern Age for Cambridge Scholars Publishing; and Images of the Child for Bowling Green University Press. He has been a featured Humanist for the United States National Endowment for the Humanities, and has taught at several colleges and universities, including the University of North Dakota, Northern Montana College, Minnesota State University, and Pacifica, and has received national attention for his pedagogy.