Questions to Guide Your Reading

Chapter 1:  Roadmap

1. At the beginning of his book, Jewish author David Blumenthal states shockingly:  "I knew a Jewish nazi."  What does he mean?  What were the characteristics of this man -- this "Jewish nazi"?

2. On p. 5, Prof. Blumenthal says this:  "Most important, the literature [about the nazis] also talks about the banality of evil, about the ease with which normal people are drawn into doing unbelievable evil.  [Compare this, by the way, with the thesis of Ordinary Men.]  As Hannah Arendt pointed out [in a famous book about Adolph Eichmann and her observations of him during his trail in Israel after he was kidnapped from Argentina -- a book entitled The Banality of Evil], Eichmann was not a madman.  It was, rather, his good conscience that led him to be the diligent executor of the final solution."  How was the concept of "the banality of evil" used originally by Hannah Arendt?  What kind of misinterpretation might arise from calling evil such as Eichmann's "banal"?  What did Hannah Arendt really mean to say?

3. What does Prof. Blumenthal mean when he says toward the bottom of p. 5 that, "His [namely, Eichmann's] evil is not demonic;  it is banal, even though it is evil"?

4. At the bottom of p. 5, Prof. Blumenthal states:  "Nazis are not the only ones who can have their good judgment blinded by the banality of evil.  All people can be caught up in it."  Discuss what he means.

5. On p. 6, Prof. Blumenthal makes the following comment:  "How does one assess guilt for such deep personal and cultural patterns?"  Good question.  What is his answer?  [Take note of "On the one hand" and "On the other hand" and the bold-faced passage.]

6. Prof. Blumenthal makes a similar point about doing good.  What does he say about this at the bottom of p. 8?

Chapter 2:  The Field

7. On p. 22, Prof. Blumenthal provides a functional definition of both "good" and "evil."  How does he define them?

8. In a section entitled "Toward a Field Theory of That Which Facilitates Both Good and Evil," Prof. Blumenthal lays out "six dimensions shared by the phenomena which facilitate good and those which facilitate evil."  What are they?  Please briefly describe each.

9. Note, by the way, that what Blumenthal calls "character" is not exactly what we were describing when we were talking about "character" and the development of the virtues.  Discuss the difference.  Where would the virtues fit in Blumethal's sixfold schema?  Is there a place for them?  Does he consider their importance?  What do you think?

Chapter 3: Hierarchy and Role

10. In the first section of this chapter, Prof. Blumenthal sets out to further what he calls his "descriptive-analytic task" [as opposed to his "normative task" which will come later on] by analyzing the degree to which "[i]nsertion into a hierarchy which does, or which tolerates, evil facilitates the doing of evil."  He claims that the evidence for this is "overwhelming."  Describe and discuss the evidence provided by the following:
(a) The Milgram Experiment
(b) The Brown-Eyed/Blue-Eyed Children Experiments
(c) The My Lai Massacre and its Aftermath
(d) The SS
(e) Ordinary Germans
(f) The German Judiciary

11. In the second section of this chapter, Prof. Blumenthal similarly argues the case that, "As insertion into a hierarchy works to facilitate evil, so it works to facilitate the doing of good."  What evidence was provided for this thesis by the Princeton Experiment?  What evidence was provided by the "Helping Distressed Persons" experiments?

12. What evidence does Blumenthal find for this second thesis when he looks again at the Milgram experiment?

13. What support for this second thesis did Blumenthal find when he analyzed the Rescuers?  What support when he analyzed the issue of peer support?  What is his general conclusion?  [NB:  middle of p. 45, bold type.]

14. In the next section (starting p. 45), Prof. Blumenthal suggests that "role and rule" also play an important part in determining antisocial action and responsibility.  What does this mean?  What evidence for this position does he find in the following:
(a) The Zimbardo experiment at Stanford and the conflict at My Lai;
(b) Hitler's professors;  and
(c) the SS?

15. In discussing "Role and Rule in Determining Prosocial Action and Responsibility," Prof. Blumenthal discusses a threefold typology of motivation that had originally been suggested by the husband-and-wife team Samual and Pearl Oliner:  there is (a) the empathically oriented motivation;  (b) the normocentrically oriented motivation;  and (c) the motivation based on "principles." Briefly discuss each, and mention which of the three seems to be the most common motivator among people.

16. This chapter (Chapter 3) is entitled "Hierarchy and Role."  What are Prof. Blumenthal's conclusions about the influence of "hierarchy and role" in facilitating and/or promoting prosocial and antisocial (a.k.a. "good" and "evil") behaviors?  What do you think?

Chapter 4:  Teaching and Praxis

17. What, according to Prof. Blumenthal, are three teachings that led to the evil of the Shoah?  Please list all three and describe each briefly.

18. What, on the contrary, are the five teachings mentioned by Prof. Blumenthal that lead to good?  Again, please list them and describe each briefly.

19. According to Prof. Blumenthal (p. 75), "three factors facilitate the actual praxis of evil."  What are they?  Please list them and describe each briefly.

20. What, on the contrary, are the factors that facilitate the praxis of doing good?  (Prof. Blumenthal doesn't list them, but I do on the outline, which is given under "Course Documents.")

Chapter 5: Childhood Discipline and Personality

21. What are the dynamics of child abuse discussed by David Blumenthal in this chapter?

22. Discuss the following psychological mechanisms which abused persons employ in order to cope with their abuse:
(a) splitting
(b) repression, identification, and idealization
(c) projection, displacement, and scapegoating

23. What are the main factors, according to David Blumenthal, that lead to a "pro-social childhood" and the development of an "altruistic personality"?

Chapter 7:  The Affections and Value-Concepts of the Prosocial Life

24. According to Prof. Blumenthal, what are the eleven "affections" of the pro-social life?  (Please be able to describe what Blumenthal means by "affections.")

25. What, according to Blumenthal, are the twelve "value-concepts" of the pro-social life?  (Please be able to describe what Blumenthal means by "value-concepts.")

Chapter 8:  Do This

26. On p. 132, Blumenthal says this: "Bluntly put: Religious and secular moral education has failed to discourage antisocial behavior and to encourage prosocial behavior."  Why not?  What do you think of this claim?

27. What are Prof. Blumenthal's "four very strong recommendations for encouraging prosocial attitudes and behaviors?  What are the four recommendations he lists under "give formal instruction"?  What are the prosocial skills he thinks we should teach?

28. What Blumenthal's "ten commandments" for resistant and caring living?

Consider This:

29. Consider the education you are receiving at the University of St. Thomas in terms of the categories suggested by Prof. Blumenthal.  Is the education you are receiving encouraging prosocial skills and behavior?  Is it discouraging antisocial attitudes and behavior?  Explain.  Are the students who come out of St. Thomas any more likely to act in a prosocial way and less likely to act in antisocial ways than others precisely because of their St. Thomas education?  Or is it just the same, making no difference whatsoever?  If it's different, why is it different?  If it's no different, what does that say about St. Thomas's claim to be imparting a "Catholic" education and training "Catholic leaders" for the next generation?