Psychopathy and Moral Rationality
Psychopathy and Moral Rationality
The chapter puts into doubt the close link that is often established between lack of empathy and psychopathic amorality. This critique is then developed into the claim that feeling alone cannot be the basis of moral action. The main aspect of psychopathic amorality according to the proposed analysis is the lack of intelligibility of psychopaths’ explanations for their behavior. These imply failures of reason-giving capacities, or, briefly, a defect in an aspect of practical rationality. Empathy, in the sense of a concern for others, is seen as a precondition for possessing moral rationality.
Keywords: David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Aristotle, Philippa Foot, amoralism, empathy, practical rationality, moral rationality
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