Paul Bouts (1900–1999) was a Belgian

phrenologist Phrenology is a pseudoscience that involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits. It is based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or ...

and

pedagogue Pedagogy (), most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political, and psychological development of learners. Pedagogy, taken ...

. Born in the province of

Limburg Limburg or Limbourg may refer to: Regions * Limburg (Belgium), a province since 1839 in the Flanders region of Belgium * Limburg (Netherlands), a province since 1839 in the south of the Netherlands * Diocese of Limburg, Roman Catholic Diocese in ...

, he was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1926. In the pedagogic environment of the Normal School (pedagogic academy) of

Tienen Tienen (; ) is a city and municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, Belgium. The municipality comprises Tienen itself and the towns of Bost, Goetsenhoven, Hakendover, Kumtich, Oorbeek, Oplinter, Sint-Margriete-Houtem and Viss ...

, Belgium, where he taught from 1924, he specialised in characterological studies and devised a new method of characterological analysis, which he called Psychognomy and which was largely based on the

pseudoscience Pseudoscience consists of statements, beliefs, or practices that claim to be both scientific and factual but are incompatible with the scientific method. Pseudoscience is often characterized by contradictory, exaggerated or unfalsifiable cl ...

phrenology Phrenology is a pseudoscience that involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits. It is based on the concept that the Human brain, brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific ...

, combined with

typology A typology is a system of classification used to organize things according to similar or dissimilar characteristics. Groups of things within a typology are known as "types". Typologies are distinct from taxonomies in that they primarily address t ...

and

graphology Graphology is the analysis of handwriting in an attempt to determine the writer's personality traits. Its methods and conclusions are not supported by scientific evidence, and as such it is considered to be a pseudoscience. Graphology has been ...

. This led to his life-work, ''La Psychognomie'',Paul Bouts, La Psychognomie, Paris, Dervy-Livres, 1986 initially published in Paris by the "Librairie philosophique Alcan". It was subsequently translated in Dutch and Portuguese. The theories of Bouts were further developed in specialised institutes which were founded in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and

Chicoutimi Chicoutimi ( , ) is the most populous borough (arrondissement) of the city of Saguenay in Quebec, Canada. It is situated at the confluence of the Saguenay and Chicoutimi rivers. During the 20th century, it became the main administrative and ...

Québec Quebec is Canada's largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, New Brunswick to the southeast and a coastal border ...

. Bouts continued his research in the field with the paleo-anthropological work ''Les Grandioses Destinées Individuelle et Humaine dans la Lumière de la Caractérologie et de l'Evolution cérébro-cranienne''. In this work he developed a

teleological Teleology (from , and )Partridge, Eric. 1977''Origins: A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English'' London: Routledge, p. 4187. or finalityDubray, Charles. 2020 912Teleology. In ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'' 14. New York: Robert Applet ...

and orthogenetical view on a ''perfecting evolution'', from the paleo-encephalical skull shapes of prehistoric man, which he considered still prevalent in

criminal In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...

s and, in his view, "savages". After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Bouts experienced serious health problems, due to overburdening. These enticed him to study a healthy lifestyle, which he described in his work ''Modern Hygiene of Intellectuals'' (published in French as ''Hygiène Moderne des Intellectuels'', and in Dutch under the title ''Ik ben nooit moe'', i.e. ''I am never tired''). He underlined the importance of wholesome, healthy food and of the maintenance of respiratory capacity through exercise. The adoption of this healthy lifestyle allowed him to regain full strength and to lead a productive life until age 99. In 1967 he established himself on the woody Middelberg hill in

Rotselaar Rotselaar () is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality located in the Belgium, Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, Flemish-Brabant, near the convergence of the Demer and the Dijle. Since 1 January 1977 the municipality comprises the towns of ...

, Belgium (in

Flemish Brabant Flemish Brabant ( ; ) is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also ...

, 35 km east of Brussels), where he built the ''St. Paul's Home'', as well as a reform shop called ''Sol & Vita''. He continued to publish a number of spiritual works, like ''Onze overheerlijke lotsbestemming, het Paradijs'' (''Paradise, our marvellous destiny'', in Dutch). Paul Bouts is also keeper of several inventor's

patents A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling discl ...

. File:Professeur Paul Bouts.jpg, At work in the silence of the hermitage of Vinnebosch in Wezemaal File:Paul Bouts.jpg, Villa "El Sol" residence of Prof. P. Bouts Middenbergpark- Rotselaar-in 1967 File:Prof. Paul Bouts.jpg, Prof. P. Bouts is on the left – Middenbergpark – Rotselaar- 10-08 1972 File:P. Bouts 01.jpg, Prof. Paul Bouts is on the left – 1978 File:1-La psychognomie - caractérologie pratique.jpg, Methodical Reading of Character and Skills for Use by Educators and Leaders-6th Edition File:Hygiène moderne des intellectuels.jpg, How to preserve and cultivate my organic and nervous resistance File:Hygiène moderne des intellectuels 02.jpg, Author: Dr Robert Coessens in collaboration with Fr. Paul Bouts File:4-Les grandioses destinées individuelle et humaine.jpg, in the light of the characterology and cerebral cranial evolution

References

External links

St. Paul's Home (official site)

Sol & Vita (official site)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bouts, Paul Flemish scientists 1900 births 1999 deaths Graphologists Phrenologists People from Dilsen-Stokkem 20th-century Belgian Roman Catholic priests