criminal psychology-第130章

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d　covers　it。　Hence；　a　thing　may　often　be　at　one　and　the　same　time　intelligent　and　stupid；　intelligent　in　one　direction　and　stupid　in　another；　and　it　is　not　incorrect；　therefore；　to　speak　of　clever　stupidities；　and　of　clever　deeds　that　are　heartily　foolish。

The　importance　of　stupidity　is　due　not　only　to　the　fact　that　it　may　lead　to　important　consequences；　but　also　to　the　difficulty　of　discovering　it　in　certain　cases。　It　is　before　all　things　correct；　that　foolish　people　often　seem　to　be　very　wise；　and　that　as　a　rule；　much　intercourse　alone　is　able　to　reveal　the　complete　profundity　of　a　man's　foolishness。　But　in　our　work　we　can　have　little　intercourse　with　the　people　whom　we　are　to　know；　and　there　are；　indeed；　persons　whom　we　take　to　be　foolish　at　the　first　encounter；　and　who　really　are　so　when　we　know　them　better。　And　even　when　we　have　learned　the　kind　and　degree　of　a　man's　foolishness；　we　have　not　learned　his　way　of　expressing　it；　and　that　discovery　requires　much　wisdom。　Moreover；　an　incredible　amount　of　effort；　persistence；　and　slyness　is　often　made　use　of　for　the　purpose　of　committing　an　immense　act　of　foolishness。　Every　one　of　us　knows　of　a　number　of　criminal　cases　that　remained　unexplained　for　a　long　time　simply　because　some　one　related　event　could　be　explained　by　a　stupidity　so　great　as　to　be　unbelievable。　Yet　the　knowledge　that　such　stupidity　actually　exists　could　explain　many　a　similar　matter；　simply　and　easily。　This　is　especially　true　with　regard　to　the　much　discussed　‘‘one　great　stupidity；''　which　the　criminal　commits　in　almost　every　crime。　Assume　that　such　a　stupidity　is　impossible；　and　the　explanation　of　the　case　is　also　impossible。　We　must　never　forget　that　it　is　exactly　the　wise　who　refuse　to　think　of　the　possibility　of　foolishness。　Just　as　everything　is　clean　to　the　cleanly；　and　everything　is　philosophic　to　the　philosopher；　everything　is　wise　to　the　wise。　Hence；　he　finds　it　unintelligible　that　a　thing　may　be　explained　from　the　point　of　view　of　pure　unreason。　His　duty　therefore；　is；　to　learn　as　much　and　as　accurately　as　possible　about　the　nature　of　foolishness。

There　are；　perhaps；　few　books　on　earth　that　contain　so　many　clever　things　as　Erdmann's　little　text　‘‘Concerning　Foolishness　''　　（ber　die　Dummheit）。　Erdmann　starts　with　small　experiences。　For　example；　he　once　came　early　to　the　Hamburg　Railway　Station　and　found　in　the　waiting…room　one　family　with　many　children；　from　whose　conversation　he　learned　that　they　were　going　to　visit　a　grandfather　in　Kyritz。　The　station　filled　up；　to　the　increasing　fear　of　the　smallest　member　of　the　family；　a　boy。　When　the　station　grew　quite　full　he　suddenly　broke　out：　‘‘Look　here；　what　do　all　these　people　want　of　grandfather　in　Kyritz。''　The　child　supposed　that　because　he　himself　was　travelling　to　Kyritz　all　other　people　in　the　same　place　could　have　had　no　different　intention。　This　narrowness　of　the　point　of　view；　the　generalization　of　one's　own　petty　standpoint　into　a　rule　of　conduct　for　mankind　is；　according　to　Erdmann；　the　essence　of　foolishness。　How　far　one　may　go　in　this　process　without　appearing　foolish　may　be　seen　from　another　example。　When；　in　the　sixties；　a　stranger　in　Paris　spoke　admiringly　of　the　old　trees　on　a　certain　avenue；　it　was　the　habit　of　the　Parisians　to　answer；　‘‘Then　you　also　do　not　agree　with　Haussmann？''　because　everybody　knew　about　the　attempt　by　the　Parisian　prefect；　Baron　Haussmann；　to　beautify　Paris　by　killing　trees。　If；　however；　the　trees　in　the　churchyard　of　the　little　village　are　praised；　and　the　native　peasant　replies；　‘‘So　you　know　also　that　our　Smith　wants　to　have　the　trees　chopped　down；''　the　remark　is　foolish；　because　the　peasant　had　no　right　to　assume　that　the　world　knows　of　the　intentions　of　the　village　mayor。

Now；　if　you　decrease　the　number　of　view…points；　and　narrow　the　horizon；　you　reach　a　point　where　the　circumference　of　ideas　is　identical　with　their　center；　and　this　point　is　the　kernel　of　stupidity；　the　idiot。　Stupidity　is　the　state　of　mind　in　which　a　man　judges　everything　by　himself。　This　again　may　be　best　illustrated　by　a　figure　of　speech。　If　you　go　about　a　room　and　observe　its　contents　you　soon　notice　how　the　objects　change　place　and　appearance　with　the　change　in　your　point　of　view。　If　you　look　_*only_　through　the　key…hole；　you　do　not；　however；　recognize　that　fact；　everything　seems　equal。　The　idiot　is　he　whose　egoistic　eye　is　the　only　key…hole　through　which　he　looks　into　the　decorated　parlor　we　call　the　world。　Hence；　the　defective　individual；　l'homme　born。　The　great　difficulty　of　getting　at　the　difference　is　most　evident　in　the　cases　of　real　and　artifici