Shamans Among Us: Schizophrenia, Shamanism and the Evolutionary Origins of Religion

Download or read book Shamans Among Us: Schizophrenia, Shamanism and the Evolutionary Origins of Religion written by Joseph Polimeni and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2012-12-01 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Schizophrenia is one of the most enigmatic human experiences. While it can cause terrible distress, it doesn't fit the mold of a classic medical disease. In Shamans Among Us, Joseph Polimeni shows that today's schizophrenia patients are no less than the modern manifestation of tribal shamans, people vital to the success of early human cultures. Spanning human history and including discussions of evolution, the definition of disease, and the nature of psychosis, Shamans Among Us is the most detailed and comprehensive evolutionary theory yet assembled to explain a specific psychiatric diagnosis. "Joseph Polimeni's scholarly book challenges several traditional concepts of both evolutionary biology and medicine. I strongly recommend it to all those who dare to think outside the box." - Martin Brüne, MD, author of Textbook of Evolutionary Psychiatry.