M. Scott Peck

Morgan Scott Peck, M.D. (May 22, 1936 – September 25, 2005) was an American psychiatrist and best-selling author.

Biography

Peck was born in New York City. He graduated from Friends Seminary in 1954, after which he received a B.A. from Harvard in 1958 and an M.D. degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1963. He served in administrative posts in the government during his career as a psychiatrist. He was the Medical Director of the New Milford Hospital Mental Health Clinic and a psychiatrist in private practice in New Milford, Connecticut. His first and best-known book, The Road Less Traveled, has sold more than seven million copies.

Related Topics:
New York City - Friends Seminary - 1954 - B.A. - Harvard - 1958 - M.D. - Case Western Reserve University - 1963 - New Milford Hospital Mental Health Clinic - New Milford, Connecticut

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Peck's works combined his experiences from his private psychiatric practice with a distinctly religious point of view. In one of his books, People of the Lie, he wrote, "After many years of vague identification with Buddhist and Islamic mysticism, I ultimately made a firm Christian commitment — signified by my non-denominational baptism on the ninth of March 1980..." One of his religious insights was that people who are evil attack others rather than facing their own failures. His religious views are criticized by some fundamentalist Christians (for example, Debbie Dewart).

Related Topics:
People of the Lie - Buddhist - Islamic - Christian - Debbie Dewart

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In 1984, Peck co-founded the Foundation for Community Encouragement, a tax-exempt, nonprofit, public educational foundation, whose stated mission is "to teach the principles of community to individuals and organizations."

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Peck married Lily Ho in 1959, and they had three children. In 2004 she left him. Peck then married Kathleen Kline Yates.

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Peck died at his home in Connecticut after suffering from Parkinson's disease and pancreatic and liver duct cancer.

Related Topics:
Connecticut - Parkinson's disease - Pancreatic - Cancer

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