First published in 1952, Man, Creator or Destroyer makes clear that mankind is preeminent both as a creator and as a destroyer. And we are doomed unless creative man can master destructive man. But how gain this mystery? How strengthen the one and weaken the other? This and other vital questions are answered clearly for the general reader interested in creative work, from art and science to crime-prevention and international statecraft. The first part is concerned with man's creative power which distinguishes him from all else on earth and suggests that man is much more than a machine or an animal. In the second part attention moves to man's destructive power and studies his inclination to obstruct and shatter his own constructive work. The book concludes with an examination of the ways in which the creative power can gain the mastery.