1) Which biographical facts did the movie portray accurately?

The movie portrays a bit about Nashs schizophrenia accurately. The hallucinations and his desire to
combat schizophrenia by his own strength are accurate. Also, so are many aspects about his
accomplishments. He did receive a Nobel Peace prize, he was married to Alicia, and he did work in
defense, decoding messages. The movie showed how he attended university and became a professor at
Princeton. After his release from the mental hospital, Nash actually left the country and wandered around
Europe for a while.
2) Which biographical facts were distorted in the movie?
First off, Nash did not work directly for the Pentagon, but for the Rand Corporation. Also, his relationship
with Alicia was smoothed out. He thought of her as his possession and made a show of this in front of
others. He also divorced her, later on.
3) Which symptoms of Schizophrenia did the movie accurately attributed to John Nash?
John Nash was standoffish and cocky. This can come as the result of an anti-social behaviour. Still, he felt
emotions and had some empathy. He did have delusions which made him paranoid (like the soldier)
4) Which symptoms of Schizophrenia were not accurately portrayed by the John Nash of the movie?
His illness, actually included more auditory hallucinations and paranoid delusions. There was no little girl,
no soldier, etc. The delusions were more chaotic and less logical than in the movie. He heard voices that
mocked and argued with him.
5) Can you identify any information from Nashs biography or from the movie that could be related to the
brain abnormalities reported by Myers (pp. 624-626)?
Nash tried to stop taking medication and handle schizophrenia by himself because the medication
numbed his senses. He may have been accustomed to high levels of dopamine (a common brain
abnormality reported by Myers) and therefore wanted to feel sensation again, thus causing him to lay of
the medication.
6) Can you identify any information from Nashs biography or from the movie that could be related to the
genetic factors reported by Myers (pp. 626-627)?
There isnt much evidence to be found in favor of inheritance. Neither Nashs mother nor father had
schizophrenia. In fact, even his sister didnt have it. His father did have a sharp, inquisitive mind. His
mother was a school teacher. His homelife, though did seem rather severe. There is evidence to support
that Nashs mother experienced an emotional breakdown due to this. This may have contributed to the
development of Nashs schizophrenia.
7) Can you identify any information from Nashs biography or from the movie that could be related to the
psychological factors reported by Myers (pp. 627-628)?
As a child, Nash was withdrawn. Often, he would daydream in class. Many odd behaviours such as grass
eating and animal mutilation began to occur. Often he was by himself, rather standoffish. According to
Myers, these could be some of the warning signs of schizophrenia.

8) Do you believe John Nash is morally responsible for his anti-social actions? Why?
I dont believe John Nash to be morally responsible for his anti-social actions. Call me a sympathetic, but I
definitely think that Nashs choice to abstain from medication wasnt entirely his fault. After reading from
Myers about how schizophrenia patients often have higher levels of dopamine receptors, I had a new
insight into his behaviour. The medication limited the dopamine. To someone who is so accostomed to
having such pleasure and sensation, taking it away would be torture. It would only cause more severe
depression. I think that his choice to stop taking his medication was so heavily spurred by the longing to
feel again, that I wouldnt blame him. His anti-social behaviour may have been a result of the
schizophrenia itself or of his desire to leave others out of his hallucinations.