It might seem obvious that psychopathy is harmful. But there is some reason to believe psychopathy, at least in moderation, might be a reasonable evolutionary adaptation. To evaluate whether something is a mental disorder, it helps to understand what causes disorders in the first place. A recent study explored whether psychopathy is associated with physical telltale signs such as handedness. The results were not conclusive, but they do add to a growing body of research supporting the possibility that psychopathy is not a mental disorder.
Elizabeth Gilbert, “How psychopathy might be an evolutionary adaptation” at BigThink (May 3, 2022)
With respect, Your Honour, Counsel for the Prosecution rests.
The paper is open access.