Book Review: Intellectual Devotional

     The Intellectual Devotional series is a series of books by David S. kidder dedicated to a higher learning, in order to open and stimulate the mind. 365 passages to read, that will have your mind open and thinking deeper. One for each day, that is broken down into seven fields of knowledge.One for each day of the week.

 

          The Intellectual Devotional had a passage called, “The Milgram Studies: Lesson in obedience”. In the 1960s, Stanley Milgram, a psychologist at Yale University, performed a frightening series of experiments on obedience. Milgram demonstrate how a situation can overpower an individual conscience. His studies and finding ,have been used to explain the great atrocities of our time.

 

    Milgram drew his subjects from all walks of life. His subjects agreed to accept $4.50 per hour to participate in an experiment on learning and punishment. In the experiment they were told by a doctor to act as a teacher and to read a list of associations to a specific “learner.” Who was out of sight but could hear very well. If the learner got an association wrong, than the teacher was mandated to give the learner an electric shock, increasing the voltage after each incorrect answer.

     Of course the real experiment was on the subject, to see how much punishment they would administer. As the experiment went on at 180 volts, the learner was instructed to cry.  Many of the teachers were disturbed- sweating profusely, biting their lips, but spite of their moral qualms they continued.

 

      Milgram research clearly demonstrated how pridonatroy people could be induced to perform inhumane acts. The experiment also showed the psychological distance the subject had from the victim, the more of a chance they would follow orders.

   This is just one passage of this amazing book, that revives your mind and complete your education.This daily digest of intellectual learning and challenging will arouse curiosity, expand horizons and keep the mind sharp.If your willing to refresh your knowledge read the intellectual devotional!