Verbatim got his focused AMA to work, so I figured I'd go ahead and do mine. I do expect to take some flak for this, though.

Antisocial (or dissocial) personality disorder is characterized by a lack of empathy or remorse and a pervasive pattern of disregard for, or violation of, the rights of others. There may be an impoverished moral sense or conscience and a history of crime, legal problems, and impulsive and aggressive behavior.

Psychopathy is traditionally defined as a personality disorder characterized by enduring antisocial behavior, diminished empathy and remorse, and disinhibited or bold behavior.

And yes I put this in Serious because I'm actually interested in what a (marginally) serious discussion about this will look like.

I think you said you wouldn't torture your own animals in your other thread, so do you experience love or affection to those people who are closest to you?

You could characterise it as affection, but not love. The best definition I've ever heard somebody give me of love is "caring for somebody more than you do for yourself".

It's a very selfish kind of affection, however. I'm closest, in my family, to my grandma. However, I have vivid memories of her saying something which annoyed me and then feeling a flash of intense anger. Whether that's normal, I don't know, but it can lead to horrible consequences when I act on impulse (I haven't, however, physically harmed a family member).

Now I want a hotdog.

So do I.

Hotdogs are the sort of food you immediately want when thinking about.

]Lol yeah.

Oh man I can almost taste it.

Oh, the though of a shimmering piece of lengthy meat in my mouth.

Wonderful.

Yay, I only have Psychopathic tendencies rather than anything full-on, know what I would be?

This is a bit of a loaded question, so if I'm mistaken in any of my premises, feel free to correct me...

It's to my understanding that sociopaths do not have a capacity for empathy. Do you think a level of empathy is required in order to rationally solve moral dilemmas? Could a psychopath nullify his psychopathy by practicing morally good deeds (utilitarian deeds), or are they all ultimately self-serving?

It depends on how you look at it. I think a psychopathy is perfectly capable of acting, consequentially, in a moral way. Primary psychopaths (that is a psychopath, not a sociopath, which would be a secondary psychopath) are supposedly more willing to condone impersonal harm.

Interestingly, utilitarianism, as developed by Jeremy Bentham, is distinct by being high in systemising and low on empathising. While not psychopathic, Benthan was actually probably Aspergic which, when it comes to empathy, can share some characteristics with psychopathy.

Ultimately, it depends on whether or not you think the motivation or propriety of an action matters. If you do, then psychopaths are almost always amoral or immoral. If you don't, then you could probably get a consequentially moral psychopath at some point.

To answer the first question also, I firmly believe that moral "reasoning" is just post hoc rationalisation. Individuals with brain damage (which can actually be a determinant for criminal and psychopathic behaviour) to certain areas which diminishes empathy and other emotions leads to initial moral intuition make horrible choices morally.

What's your view on money? I mean that as in, how much value do you place on it, and how much of your time and life would you spend trying to pursue it, if at all?

Not all psychopaths are bad. Certainly you're not the bad kind, right? 

Not all psychopaths are bad. Certainly you're not the bad kind, right?

You'd need to define "bad" for me to answer that.

Did you choose the edge or did the edge choose you?

Would you go on a mass-killing frenzy, like Olso, if you had the chance?

No.

If I could get away with it, literally scot-free, then potentially.

I like you a lot less after you admitted to torturing animals, how does that make you feel?

Quote from: Gasai Yuno on September 15, 2014, 12:30:00 AM

I like you a lot less after you admitted to torturing animals, how does that make you feel?

It's the social undesirability of it which makes me stop

hahah