Bierce, Ambrose

Many eminent persons have had children with serious mental problems and have had at least one child take his or her life. Robert Frost s daughter was committed to the state mental hospital and another daughter had a nervous breakdown. One of Albert Einstein s children was diagnosed as schizophrenic. Ambrose Bierce s oldest son committed suicide, and his other died of alcoholism at age 27. Thomas Edison had two children who became alcoholics, one of whom committed suicide. Alfred Stieglitz s daughter was psychotic and committed to a mental institution. James Joyce had two children. His son became an alcoholic his daughter went mad and, as discussed, was admitted to an asylum for schizophrenia. Numerous other examples demonstrate the frequent problems of geniuses children. Many of these children tried unsuccessfully to pursue careers similar to their eminent parents, but it is not clear if this played any role in their mental problems. 

A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles (Ambrose Bierce, The Cynic s Word Book, 1906)... 

Examples Ninteenth-century writer Ambrose Bierce offers this definition of a bore A person who talks when you wish him to listen. ... 

Here we have physiological confirmation of Ambrose Bierce s definition of intention as apprehending the imminence of an action. Behind the scenes the blind brain-mind is determining what action to take, and when to initiate it. And as it sends out messages to the muscles to move, so it also initiates processes that may end up as a conscious prediction of the act that is already on its way. Consciousness, however, ignorant of its own foundations, takes this prediction, and reinterprets it as control. (8)... 

Ambrose Bierce, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," in Ernest J. Hopkins, ed., The Complete Short Stories of Ambrose Bierce (Lincoln University of Nebraska Press, 1984). 

Bierce, A. 1946, Moxon s Master , in C. Fadiman (ed.). Collected Writings of Ambrose Bierce, Citadel Press, New York, pp. 429-37. 

AMBROSE BIERCE, "AT THE POLE," FROM FANTASTIC FABLES... 

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914 ) was an American journalist and writer of bitter, sardonic tales who vanished during the Mexican civil war at the start of the last century. 

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