Autism and Creativity: Is There a Link between Autism in Men and Exceptional Ability?

304 Pages·2004·0.42 MB·English

by  Mich Fitzgerald

Autism and Creativity
Michael Fitzgerald presents his stimulating study of male creativity and autism (autism
being far more common in males than females), arguing that a major genetic endowment
is a prerequisite of genius, and that cultural and environmental factors are less significant
than has often been claimed. He illuminates his argument with studies of historical
figures who showed enormous capacity for creative activity, yet had immature
personalities and deficits in empathy and social interaction skills.
Chapters on the diagnosis and psychology of autism set the scene for a detailed
examination of a number of important historical figures. In the Indian mathematician,
Ramanujan, the classic traits of Asperger’s syndrome are shown to have coexisted with
an extraordinary level of creativity. More unexpectedly, from the fields of philosophy,
politics and literature, scrutiny of Ludwig Wittgenstein, Sir Keith Joseph, Eamon de
Valera, Lewis Carroll and William Butler Yeats reveals classic autistic features.
Autism and Creativity broadens our understanding of high-functioning
autism/Asperger’s syndrome, and considerably widens the diagnoses. It will prove
fascinating reading, not only for professionals and students in the field of autism and
Asperger’s syndrome, but for anyone wanting to know how individuals presenting
autistic features have on many occasions changed the way we understand society.
Michael Fitzgerald is the Henry Marsh Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
Trinity College Dublin, and Clinical and Research Consultant to the Irish Society for
Autism. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, a member of the Royal
College of Surgeons in England, and an associate member of the British Psychoanalytical
Society.

Autism and Creativity
Is there a link between autism in men and exceptional ability?
Michael Fitzgerald

HOVE AND NEW YORK
First published 2004
by Brunner-Routledge
27 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2FA

Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Brunner-Routledge
29 West 35th Street, New York NY 10001
Brunner-Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2006.

“To purchase your own copy of this or any of
Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks
please go to http://www.ebookstore.tandf.co.uk/.”
Copyright © 2004 Michael Fitzgerald
Cover design by Amanda Barragry

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Fitzgerald, Michael, Dr.
Autism and creativity: is there a link between autism in men and
exceptional ability?/Michael Fitzgerald.
p. ; cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 1-58391-213-4 (hbk.)
1. Autism. 2. Creative ability. 3. Genius and mental illness. 4.
Savant syndrome.
[DNLM: 1. Asperger’s Syndrome—psychology. 2. Autistic
Disorder—psychology. 3. Creativeness. 4. Famous Persons. WM 203.5
F554a 2004] I. Title.
RC553. A88F55 2004
616.89'82–dc21
2003011509
ISBN 0-203-49159-9 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-59343-X (Adobe e-Reader Format)
ISBN 1-58391-213-4 (hbk)

Contents

List of tables vii
Acknowledgements ix

1 Introduction 1
2 Diagnostic issues 19
3 Psychology of high-functioning autism/Asperger’s syndrome 38
4 Ludwig Wittgenstein 51
5 Sir Keith Joseph 125
6 Eamon de Valera 138
7 William Butler Yeats 150
8 Lewis Carroll 170
9 Ramanujan 181
10 Conclusion 196

Notes 199
Bibliography 247
Index 258
Tables

2.1 Similarities and differences between high-functioning autism/ 24

Asperger’s syndrome and antisocial personality
2.2 Differences between high-functioning autism and Asperger’s 33

syndrome
2.3 38–
Differential diagnosis of Asperger’s disorder
39

Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Ms Antoinette Walker for her editorial work on the manuscript. Mr
Brendan O’Brien carried out editorial work in relation to diagnostic issues and
psychology of autism and proofread the manuscript. Ms Ellen Cranley was extremely
patient and helpful (as always) in typing repeated drafts. Professor David Berman
conducted discussions with the author for the past 12 years on Wittgenstein and read a
final draft of the Wittgenstein chapter. Dr Jean Quigley read the chapter on Psychology
of Autism and the Wittgenstein chapter. Dr John Hayes read the chapter on Wittgenstein.
Dr Viktoria Lyons read the entire book in its final stages. I am grateful to Mr Pat
Matthews, President of the World Autism Association, the Irish Society for Autism, and
many parents of children with autism who have educated me for the past 30 years. The
librarians at Trinity College Dublin, Ms Virginia McLoughlin and Ms Thelma Pope, were
unfailingly helpful. I have also been helped by Carol Creaven of the Library of the Royal
College of Surgeons in Ireland as well as Beatrice Doran and her staff. I would also like
to thank Dr Paul McCarthy who has given me major support throughout my career, Ms
Frances Brennan and staff at the Ballyfermot Child and Family Centre, and Mr Michael
Walsh of the Northern Area Health Board. At Brunner-Routledge I would like to thank
Ms Kate Hawes for commissioning the book; Ms Joanne Forshaw, editor and Ms Helen
Pritt. I have had helpful discussions with Professor Michael Gill, Dr Louise Gallagher, Dr
Aiveen Kirley, Ms V.Foley and Dr Aiden Corvin at Trinity College Dublin. I would like
to thank my wife Frances and three sons Owen, Mark and Robert for their support during
the writing of this book and for giving me the time to write it.