Summary |
Psychopathy is a personality disorder
characterized by antisocial behaviour, lack of remorse and empathy, and a
constellation of symptoms that are suggestive of decision-making impairments.
This condition raises several philosophical issues. Besides scientists,
philosophers, working within philosophy of psychiatry, investigate the
scientific validity and mental illness status of psychopathy. In moral
psychology, it is debated whether psychopaths offer a counter-example to
motivational internalism and if their case can be used to support
sentimentalism about moral judgment and motivation as opposed to rationalism. There
are philosophical debates concerning the moral responsibility and the legal
responsibility of psychopathic offenders. In applied ethics, there is a
discussion on the possibility and legitimacy of forms of biological moral enhancement of psychopaths. |