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> Or are there millions of Ted Bundys out there who never actually killed anyone and even lead productive lives? Exactly this. Psychopaths may not have empathy
by brazzy 13y ago
> Or are there millions of Ted Bundys out there who never actually killed anyone and even lead productive lives?
Exactly this. Psychopaths may not have empathy or desire for social approval prevent them from becoming murderers, but they still don't want to be punished or become outcasts and lose all the things they need from society. They can even develop their own rational morality, arguably in many ways better than the instinctive emotional morality most people have.
Psychopaths typically only become murderers if they're either stupid, live in a defunct society or have some other metal issue that compels them to kill. Fortunately, that combination is rare.
- nzp 13y ago> They can even develop their own rational morality, arguably in many ways better than the instinctive emotional morality most people have. One of the striking things about psychopaths, and I'm talking about the obvious anti-social types, not the ones like Fallon from the article, is how they are able to talk and abstractly reason about morality. Based on words alone, they can often be judged as shining examples of virtue. The interesting thing about it is that they're not lying (no evidence that they do) or trying to deceive (well, it certainly depends on the situation, of course they won't have problems deceiving people when needed). They just can't relate on a fundamental level to rational analysis they are able to make. It is in fact the absence of emotional component in moral reasoning, which neurotypical people have, that leads them to behave in ways opposite of their stated abstract moral standards.