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The Corruption of Reality: A Unified Theory of Religion, Hypnosis, and Psychopathology by John F. Schumaker, 1995

This groundbreaking volume examines our sometimes strained grasp of reality and sheds new light on three subject areas that continue to fascinate researchers: religion, hypnosis and psychopathology.

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The Corruption of Reality challenges many of the ideas in all three disciplines and paves the way for an exciting, far-reaching and unified theory of conscious and unconscious behavior. Schumaker argues that, despite their apparent differences, religion, hypnosis, and psychopathology are all expressions of the unique human ability to modify and regulate reality in ways that ultimately serve the individual and society. In turn, these same behaviors can be traced to the brain's remarkable capacity to process information along multiple pathways, thus allowing the person to manipulate reality in strategic directions aimed at improved coping. He includes a historical and cross-cultural analysis showing how reality reconstruction takes place, and outlines the shortcomings of current psychotherapeutic approaches as well as the promising trends toward a spiritualization of psychotherapy. Sure to be labeled immoral by some organized-religion enthusiast, balderdash by some ultrarational pragmatist, Schumaker's book makes a case for the essential sameness of religion, hypnosis, and psychopathology. Cogently reasoned, laboriously constructed, its arguments are obviously not for everyone, but they will inspire and animate adherents and opponents alike. Are these three areas of human behavior merely different manifestations of the desire, conscious or unconscious, to bend reality and the perception of it to personal ends?
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