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Crime Research Centre Talk
Abstract: Psychopathy is a psychological condition associated with heterogenous symptoms, but which tends to engender shallow affect, narcissism, lack of empathy, reckless impulsivity, manipulation and deception of others, and antisocial tendencies including dispositions towards violence and criminality (Hare, 1999; Patrick & Drislane, 2014). While psychopathy is clearly problematic for wider society, the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic treatment is generally unimpressive (Salekin et al., 2010). This may be due to an inability of psychopaths to understand moral norms (Blair, 1995), or it may be due to a lack of motivation to do so (Cima et al., 2010); regardless of the mechanism(s), psychopaths seem to have great difficulty in remediating characteristic moral deficits (Chartrand, 2004; Hare, 1999).
Notably, research has found that psychopathic traits have relatively high heritability. For example, twin studies suggest an average heritability of approximately 50% (Waldman & Rhee, 2006; Rosenström et al., 2017), with some suggesting dizygotic twins have more than twice the psychopathy concordance rates of monozygotic twins (Brennan & Mednick, 1993; Blonigen et al., 2008). Candidate genes and their respective polymorphisms which may contribute towards psychopathic traits have been identified, including the MAOA gene – known colloquially as the “Warrior Gene” – which encodes the monoamine oxidase A enzyme responsible for metabolising neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine (Kolla et al., 2020).
While such polymorphisms are undoubtedly affected by environmental influences such as early trauma and abuse (Caspi et al., 2002), it is notable that such environmental factors rarely elicit the same psychopathic traits in the absence of the abnormal MAOA genotype (Black, 2024). If such gene polymorphisms could be ‘treated’ in utero via genetic engineering technology, then genetic contributions to the development of psychopathy could be attenuated – at least in theory. I examine the potential use of CRISPR-Cas9 for such interventions, considering both the motivations driving its application and the practical and ethical challenges that it entails. Finally, I consider who might benefit – or be harmed – by the implementation of such technologies, both in contemporary and future societies.
Bio: Daniel Lee is a psychologist (B.A. and H.Dip.), philosopher (M.A.), and clinical neuroscientist (M.Sc.) who earned his degrees from the University of Galway, Ireland. Daniel’s primary interests include moral psychology, human enhancement, bioethics, logic, and social and political philosophy. Daniel is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Neurophilosophy from the prestigious University, LMU, Munich. His Ph.D. concerns the ethics of moral bioenhancement (medical interventions to make recipients morally ‘better’) in both typical and morally atypical populations (e.g. persons with antisocial traits), and is jointly overseen by the LMU Faculty of Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, and Religious Studies, and the Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences at LMU.