Final answer:
Psychopaths may recognize but not internalize societal views of right and wrong, often lacking empathy and guilt. Morality is considered to have roots in our evolution as social animals, and free will plays a role in individual decision-making. Neuroscience questions the extent of our responsibility for actions, suggesting ethical thinking may rationalize instinctual brain responses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea that psychopaths feel no guilt because they have no conscience is a complex one. While it is true that many psychopaths exhibit a significant lack of empathy, guilt, and moral conduct, psychopathy is a multifaceted disorder. Psychopaths often understand societal norms and recognize that others consider certain actions wrong but may not internalize these judgments as their own due to different brain function related to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and mirror neurons.
Sympathy and a sense of reciprocal social behavior are the seeds of morality, as noted by primatologist Frans de Waal, who emphasized that our moral sensibilities may stem from our evolution as social animals. Some researchers, such as Crego and Widiger, have even discussed how our sense of morality could be innately embedded in brain activity, evidenced in part by psychophysiological studies (e.g., reduced electrodermal activity) as mentioned by Fung et al.
The concept of free will also adds to this discussion. Individuals potentially choose actions that they believe to be good for them, albeit society may deem them wrong. This perspective has its roots in the philosophies of Socrates who believed that wrongdoers simply misunderstand that what they consider good could actually be harmful. Neuroscience increasingly challenges how responsible individuals are for their actions, suggesting that much of our ethical thinking is a rationalization for almost instinctual responses.