The Crazy Story Of Phineas Gage

Psychologists exploded. Many reasons, many hypotheses were given for why this happened. Some claimed the witnesses were too shocked or numb to react. Some claimed that content seen in video games and movies had such an effect on the witnesses that they were unable to separate real life from the television screen (Slater 96). Two young psychologists, John Darley and Bibb Latane, weren’t sastified with these hypotheses; this is not to say that the others were wrong, more that these two men believed less in the power in personality than they did in the power of situation. So they conducted an experiment, where they recruited NYU students to take part in a fake study of student adaption to urban college life. The goal of this experiment was to see how the subject reacted to a situation when someone started to have a seizure. The student was isolated in a room and was only able to communicate with other “students” via a microphone that would only turn on if it was their turn to talk. Recordings of other students and their experiments would play then, making the student believe that there were truly other people in this study. As the experiment went on, and various recordings went on and on, suddenly one of the “students” would begin to have a seizure. The student was given a full six minutes to react to the situation.

The day of Phineas accident, he was performing his work duties on the construction of a railroad track. His duty was to set explosive charges in holes drilled into large pieces of rock so that they could be broken up and removed. He had to fill the holes with gunpowder, with a fuse, and then pack in sand with a large tamping iron. Because gage was distracted on September 13, 1948, he forgot to fill in one of the holes with sand. In result, when he went to pack down the

On the date of September 13th, 1848, one of the greatest medical miracles in history occurred. Not only was this case amazing, it was sounded too unbelievable to most and became liken into an old folk tale. However, this was no folk tale. The story of the living mad with a rod in his head was true and it stunned the entire medical community. This is the story of Phineas Gage.

According to Lombroso his theories were sparked by an autopsy of a criminal in an insane asylum. He discovered an abnormality that he deemed to be common with lower animals. Lombroso is quoted as saying, “At the sight of that skull, I seemed to see all of a sudden (…) the problem of the nature of the criminal – an atavistic being who reproduces in his person the ferocious instincts of primitive humanity and the inferior animals.” By modern standards Lombroso’s sweeping generalizations would be regarded as crude at best. However, Lombroso did indicate many symptoms of mental illness as possible indicators of “born criminality.” The epileptic and the insane were a subset within Lombroso’s “born criminal.” Many of his assertions on the attributes of criminals were wildly off base, however he did bring a focus onto the biological and away from the soul as the reason for deviance. His assumptions spread far and wide throughout the nineteenth century; for example during a trial in Ohio a housekeeper’s head was measured to see whether or not she should be charged with the poisoning of a young boy. Lombroso himself performed thousands of autopsies and examined many a brain. His theories inspired a craze for dissection and understanding of the brain.

His older brother found out he was just like him which he wanted him to be nothing like. A drug dealer up to no good.

Compared to the Milgram Experiment, one could easily argue that the prisoners suffered from far more anxiety and trauma that the “teachers” who instituted electrical shocks. However, as one might hate as much to admit, but the results of the Stanford Prison Experiment outweigh the risks. Not only did it bring to light many natural tendencies and moral issues of human beings, but also that it was this experiment, along with the Milgram Experiment, the revolutionized the ethical guidelines of human experimentation. While these two experiments may be considered among the darkest experiments in the history of psychology, it is important to acknowledge what they have also brought to

After a hot humid day in July 1947, severe and violent thunderstorms filled the night sky. Long time farmer, Mac Brazel was used to thunder, and storms out in the country. Although something about this night was different. He heard an extremely loud crash, though didn’t think much of it. The next morning however, Brazel stumbled upon the debris of a strange object on his farm. Brazel brought some of the material to a nearby neighbor who urged him to report his find in hopes of getting a reward. Brazel informed the sheriff

trauma because of the war. His mental instability led him to murder the sheriff and seeking

It says on page 5 that, “He had been in trouble with the law for half his life.” You also find out that he has problems controlling his anger on that page. We learn that, “His parents were alcoholics and his dad beat him.” on page 7.

He started off life in a bad way. He was born with a mental disorder, so he didn’t always know right from wrong. He had

As time passed he was soon the age of 18, becoming a young adult, who had gone through horrific events in his life. Joining a gang as early as 11 years old, witnessing countless murders, homicides, suicides, drug overdose, and lust. Where even himself has been an inch away from going overdose. Not only that he was kicked out of numerous amount of schools, not because he wasn't smart but because he was

This accident, along with losing close friends, and seeing others die, has left him traumatized. Although, his PTSD is not as severe as other solders, it still affects him in his day to day activities.

I have always wondered how he wound up in this life of crime. He was such a nice kid, very loving and compassionate and smart, too. What made him choose this path? Was it the absence of a father figure or perhaps the example his mother set for him? Was it the drugs or the money? Was it the people he socialized with or was it just in his genes?

Phineas, from the novel “A Separate Peace” is both similar and different in many different ways to the characters. Phineas, unlike many others, never looks at the bad in people and is almost always friendly to everyone. He is a very athletic kid and, unlike Gene, is not a very good student in school. Similarly to the other characters, Finny is rebellious and like to go by his own rules, and he is also insecure at times. Phineas has many similarities and differences athletically, academically, and through his personality to the characters Leper, Brinker, and Gene.

It is very rare to study something that is as fascinating yet as bewildering as the distinctive paradox, that is the human brain. Every individuals conflicting behaviour and elaborate character that make them the person they are must have a justification. I originally established a fascination in forensic psychology as I read about a sequence of homicides committed by Gary Ridgway, otherwise known as the “Green River Killer”. Upon discovery of this case, questions began to pervade in my head about what may be the cause for an individual to execute such things, and just how someone’s mind could be so peculiarly dissimilar to my own.