The Psychological Devil in the Western Tradition: Culture, Evil, and the Human Mind

Why do humans persistently personify evil, giving abstract harm a face, a name, and a will? This book traces the Devil's evolution from ancient Mesopotamian demons and biblical adversaries through medieval theology to contemporary Satanic activism. You'll discover how cognitive biases, moral panic, and group psychology shape our need to externalize threat—whether in witch hunts, exorcisms, or modern conspiracy theories. Drawing on historical iconography, clinical case studies, and cross-cultural demonology, this interdisciplinary analysis reveals that Satan is not merely a religious artifact but a mirror reflecting humanity's deepest anxieties about control, contamination, and moral boundaries across millennia and cultures.