Luigi Ferrarese
Encyclopedia
Luigi Ferrarese of Naples, Italy was an Italian physician and the leading proponent of phrenology
(the belief that personality traits could be determined by examining the dimension's of a person's skull) in Italy
in the Nineteenth Century. He published a half dozen works on the subject between 1830 to 1838, his chief work on the subject, Memorie Risguardanti La Dottrina Frenologica (1836-8), was "one of the fundamental 19th century works in the field". Ferrarese was also a physician in the Maddalena, the Maddalena lunatic asylum
at Aversa
, near Naples, where he worked with noted pioneer of psychiatry Biagio Miraglia. His work was initially met with approval by the Church, but later writings published after his 1838 opus without the necessary permission from the state ran him afoul of ecclesiastical authorities, resulting in persecution, and even a period of imprisonment.
Among his writings, Ferrarese advocated for a government embrace of phrenology as a scientific means of conquering many social ills. An 1835 study of suicide
, "Della Monomania Suicida" ("Suicidal Monomania") concluded that government regulations punishing the families of suicides were "absurd and unjust" as they failed to prevent the ill while punishing the innocent. In 1838, in the course of defending his beliefs, Ferrarese was among the earliest persons as yet identified to expressly address and criticize Pandeism
, the belief that God
became the Universe and that human beings are therefore "fragments" of God, and which theory Ferrarese said 'profaned the mysteries of theology'.
In March 1844, Ferrarese was visited by noted Scottish phrenologist George Combe
, who had earlier read and been impressed by Ferrarese's Memorie Risguardanti La Dottrina Frenologica. At the time of his initial reading of the work, Combe had written:
But upon his visit to Naples, Combe reported first a difficulty in finding Ferrarese, and then discovering the doctor relegated to living in obscurity. Combe described the circumstances:
On a second visit, Combe ascertained the cause of Ferrarese's depressed condition:
Phrenology
Phrenology is a pseudoscience primarily focused on measurements of the human skull, based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules...
(the belief that personality traits could be determined by examining the dimension's of a person's skull) in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in the Nineteenth Century. He published a half dozen works on the subject between 1830 to 1838, his chief work on the subject, Memorie Risguardanti La Dottrina Frenologica (1836-8), was "one of the fundamental 19th century works in the field". Ferrarese was also a physician in the Maddalena, the Maddalena lunatic asylum
Maddalena lunatic asylum
Maddalena insane asylum, was a famous insane asylum, established in 1813, in Aversa, near Naples, Italy. It was founded by Murat, and for a time led by the phrenologist Luigi Ferrarese...
at Aversa
Aversa
Aversa is a town and comune in the Province of Caserta in Campania southern Italy, about 15 kilometres north of Naples. It is the centre of an agricultural district, the agro aversano, producing wine and cheese...
, near Naples, where he worked with noted pioneer of psychiatry Biagio Miraglia. His work was initially met with approval by the Church, but later writings published after his 1838 opus without the necessary permission from the state ran him afoul of ecclesiastical authorities, resulting in persecution, and even a period of imprisonment.
Among his writings, Ferrarese advocated for a government embrace of phrenology as a scientific means of conquering many social ills. An 1835 study of suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, "Della Monomania Suicida" ("Suicidal Monomania") concluded that government regulations punishing the families of suicides were "absurd and unjust" as they failed to prevent the ill while punishing the innocent. In 1838, in the course of defending his beliefs, Ferrarese was among the earliest persons as yet identified to expressly address and criticize Pandeism
Pandeism
Pandeism or Pan-Deism , is a term describing beliefs incorporating or mixing logically reconcilable elements of pantheism and deism Pandeism or Pan-Deism (from and meaning "God" in the sense of deism), is a term describing beliefs incorporating or mixing logically reconcilable elements of...
, the belief that God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
became the Universe and that human beings are therefore "fragments" of God, and which theory Ferrarese said 'profaned the mysteries of theology'.
In March 1844, Ferrarese was visited by noted Scottish phrenologist George Combe
George Combe
George Combe , was a Scottish lawyer and writer on phrenology and education. In later years, he devoted himself to the promotion of phrenology. His major work was The Constitution of Man .-Early life:...
, who had earlier read and been impressed by Ferrarese's Memorie Risguardanti La Dottrina Frenologica. At the time of his initial reading of the work, Combe had written:
But upon his visit to Naples, Combe reported first a difficulty in finding Ferrarese, and then discovering the doctor relegated to living in obscurity. Combe described the circumstances:
On a second visit, Combe ascertained the cause of Ferrarese's depressed condition: