Quote 1
"Life is a very wonderful thing," said Dr. Branom in a like very holy goloss. "The processes of life, the make-up of the human organism, who can fully understand these miracles? Dr. Brodsky is, of course, a remarkable man. What is happening to you now is what should happen to any normal healthy human organism contemplating the actions of the forces of evil, the workings of the principle of destruction. You are being made sane, you are being made healthy." (2.5.9)
Interestingly, Dr. Brodsky believes that Ludovico's Technique is restoring "human nature" to Alex, rather than taking it away from him. Even if it means the removal of Alex's free will, Dr. Brodsky believes in forcing people to conform to a "norm" of human instincts and behavior.
Quote 2
"You felt ill this afternoon," he said, "because you're getting better. When we're healthy we respond to the presence of the hateful with fear and nausea. You're becoming healthy, that's all. You'll be healthier still this time tomorrow." (2.5.13)
It is noteworthy that Dr. Brodsky treats Alex as sick, needing to be made healthy in order to act normally or "humanly" towards violence and crime. This "healing" also removes Alex's ability to act freely.
Quote 3
Dr. Brodsky said to the audience: "Our subject is, you see, impelled towards the good by, paradoxically, being impelled towards evil. The intention to act violently is accompanied by strong feelings of physical distress. To counter these the subject has to switch to a diametrically opposed attitude. Any questions?" (2.7.12)
How does Dr. Brodsky convince himself that it is natural for humans to choose to be nonviolent in order to avoid getting sick by thinking violent thoughts? How can it be natural if your acts are dictated by fear or avoidance behavior and not by free will?
Quote 4
"The heresy of an age of reason," or some such slovos. "I see what is right and approve, but I do what is wrong. No, no, my boy, you must leave it all to us. But be cheerful about it. It will soon be all over. In less than a fortnight now you'll be a free man." Then he patted me on the pletcho. (2.2.24)
The doctor thinks Alex's system of morality is all out of whack: he sees what is right, but he still chooses to behave badly. To the doctor, consistency in thought and action (as in, what should one do given one's circumstances) is the most important factor in morality.
Quote 5
Dr. Brodsky said to the audience: "Our subject is, you see, impelled towards the good by, paradoxically, being impelled towards evil. The intention to act violently is accompanied by strong feelings of physical distress. To counter these the subject has to switch to a diametrically opposed attitude. Any questions?" (2.7.12)
Can we speak of morality when a person, by being impelled towards the good, actually ends up being inclined towards evil? If you're skirting your intentions due to physical distress, are you acting in accordance with your morality or simply out of physical compulsion?
Quote 6
"Right," said Dr. Brodsky. "It's association, the oldest educational method in the world. And what really causes you to feel ill." (2.6.12)
So, it is finally revealed to us in plain English that the manipulation/behavior modification treatment Alex is undergoing employs the oldest educational method in the world – associative learning.
Quote 7
Dr. Brodsky said to the audience: "Our subject is, you see, impelled towards the good by, paradoxically, being impelled towards evil. The intention to act violently is accompanied by strong feelings of physical distress. To counter these the subject has to switch to a diametrically opposed attitude. Any questions?" (2.7.12)
Here, Dr. Brodsky is explaining the mechanism for behavior modification/manipulation. But how in the world does Dr. Brodsky convince himself that it is natural for humans to choose to be nonviolent in order to avoid getting sick by thinking violent thoughts? How is that human? How can it be natural if your acts are dictated by fear or avoidance behavior?
Quote 8
"You felt ill this afternoon," he said, "because you're getting better. When we're healthy we respond to the presence of the hateful with fear and nausea. You're becoming healthy, that's all. You'll be healthier still this time tomorrow." (2.5.13)
It is noteworthy here that Dr. Brodsky treats Alex as a sick being, needing to be transformed so that he might act normally or "humanly" towards violence and crime.
"He will be your true Christian," Dr. Brodsky was creeching out, "ready to turn the other cheek, ready to be crucified rather than crucify, sick to the very heart at the thought even of killing a fly." And that was right, brothers, because when he said that I thought of killing a fly and felt just that tiny bit sick, but I pushed the sickness and pain back by thinking of the fly being fed with bits of sugar and looked after like a bleeding pet and all that cal. "Reclamation," he creeched. "Joy before the Angels of God."
"The point is," this Minister of the Inferior was saying real gromky, "that it works." (2.7.24-25)
Alex has been transformed into a Christian, or at least a person who ostensibly performs Christian-like deeds. What is the difference?