Is Psychopathy Curable?
Simon Baron-Cohen, Cambridge University psychology/psychiatry prof, director of Autism Research Centre
expert developmental psychopathology
doesn't like word "evil", says we need new theory of human cruelty, more science on "evil"
theory: evil = lack of empathy
this condition is measurable, monitorable, and mb treatable/educable
empathy = 1) the drive to identify another person's thoughts and feelings, and 2) the drive to respond appropriately to those thoughts and feelings
between two people, ex: Nelson Mandela and F. W de Klerk-->end apartheid
"erosion" of empathy-->personal and international trouble, Israel/Palestine type impasses
Nazis made lampshades and soap out of Jew's bodies
B-C's book comes out in July:
"Zero Degrees of Empathy" is title in Britain, "The Science of Evil" in US
works on concept of empathy from many angles: endocrine, nature vs nurture, early childhood, etc
brain "empathy circuit = 10 regions of brain
empathy spectrum: zero to six, measure wtih empathy quotient test
he says it's a bell curve
low end = psychopaths, narcissists, borderline personality disorder
not evil:--->sick, "disabled", empathy deficient
doesn't say they can be cured but wants to try, thinks empathy can be taught and practiced
my thought: the Buddhists do it with the practice of lovingkindness
and Dr Mate points out that this practice is helpful for addicts
and another thought of mine: early childhood emotional deprivation-->limbic underdevelopment-->psychopathy
depending on the level of neural plasiticity present in adults limbic pathways may be added ...??
SOURCES
http://af.reuters.com/article/southAfricaNews/idAFLDE7430U720110505?sp=true
THIS ONE ON CORPORATIONS
http://www.naturalnews.com/032814_corporations_psychopath.html
and what if we expected business to act according to the values that we expect of people???