Answer

Neuroscience and the Psychopath Inside

The Psychopath Inside (2013) is the autobiographical history of James Fallon, a neuroscientist who discovered that had the brain wiring of a psychopath. The narration takes the reader’s attention on a scientific journey with plenty of details on neuroscience, and a personal account of Fallon’s life as a high functioning psychopath (TheLipTV, 2013). While evaluating brain scans to search for patterns that correlated with psychopathic characters, Fallon discovered that his brain fit the psychopath’s profile, a pattern he had inherited from his ancestors and did not know for the past fifty-years.

Fallon’s history confirms that genetics and biological aspects of growth may be responsible for psychopathy, which may result in antisocial disorder and criminal characters due to lack of empathy. Considering Fallon’s findings, psychopathy is innate (TheLipTV, 2013). However, to become a full blown, anti-social psychopath, an individual must have experienced a bad childhood and warrior gene, psychopathy genes. Fallon did not reach his full blown stage since he grew in a loving and stable family. Neuropsychological discrepancies in combination with certain family risk factor are often found in persistent, serious, violent offenders.

Crimes which I feel may be a factor and if genetic or biological explanation could be used as defense in trial are crimes due to acting without thinking.  Acting without thinking is sometimes referred as risk taking and considered to be closely linked with discrepancy in decision-making functions. Moreover, acting without thinking is typified by hyperactivity without evidence of consideration or thought to the ecology. Before taking this course, I did not understand the role of genetics or biology in the role of criminal activities. However, at this time, I understand that biological causes can be accountable for certain crimes. To be a full blown, antisocial psychopath, there must be significant childhood triggers and genetics.