<p>Has any theory of psychology claimed that psychopaths are like humans with the rational agency component and without much of the social-animal drives probably influencing our more common sense of morality?</p>
<p>In a way, psychopaths could be seen as hyper-rational, sort of like what an AI could be like if it evolved: smart, capable of acting in its own interest, and completely void of any sense of moral taboos in things like killing, and so on.</p>
<p>Is this idea considered?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-30T15:02:21.517Z
What psychopaths lack is *empathy*. But morality does *not* require empathy. Rather, empathy acts as a substitute for reason while the individual ascends the natural ladder of [moral development](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Kohlberg%27s_stages_of_moral_development). I discuss this a bit in *part 2* of [my answer to another question](https://philosophy.stackexchange.com/questions/90220/is-winning-competition-inherently-unethical/90225#90225).
Michael
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-30T15:20:54.990Z
On the matter of social drives, psychopaths very often exhibit significant striving toward social status, which is still instinctual. So really the main difference is empathy, rather than social instinct in general. Those individuals lower in built-in social capacity or social awareness might rather be classed as *autistic*. Many with autism often express simultaneously less empathy and less striving for social status, compared to neurotypical individuals.
Michael
<experimental-psychology><personality-disorder>
Have any psychologists argued that psychopaths are hyperrational moral nihilists?
Julius Hamilton
# Have any psychologists argued that psychopaths are hyperrational moral nihilists?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-06-30)

Has any theory of psychology claimed that psychopaths are like humans with the rational agency component and without much of the social-animal drives probably influencing our more common sense of morality?

In a way, psychopaths could be seen as hyper-rational, sort of like what an AI could be like if it evolved: smart, capable of acting in its own interest, and completely void of any sense of moral taboos in things like killing, and so on.

Is this idea considered?

**Tags:** experimental-psychology, personality-disorder

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What psychopaths lack is *empathy*. But morality does *not* require empathy. Rather, empathy acts as a substitute for reason while the individual ascends the natural ladder of [moral development](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Kohlberg%27s_stages_of_moral_development). I discuss this a bit in *part 2* of [my answer to another question](https://philosophy.stackexchange.com/questions/90220/is-winning-competition-inherently-unethical/90225#90225).  
> **username_1**: On the matter of social drives, psychopaths very often exhibit significant striving toward social status, which is still instinctual. So really the main difference is empathy, rather than social instinct in general. Those individuals lower in built-in social capacity or social awareness might rather be classed as *autistic*. Many with autism often express simultaneously less empathy and less striving for social status, compared to neurotypical individuals.  

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