<p>I think of psychopaths as having something wrong with their characters, something that also can’t be fixed by medication, therapy, etc. For instance, I don’t think that one can teach an adult to have empathy for others.</p>
<p>I don’t think that psychopaths do horrendous things to others because they have hallucinations, delusions or other problems that prevent them for being able to make rational decisions. I think that psychopaths see the world clearly, but make decisions purely based on what they think is in their own interests without any even distorted compassion for their victims or empathy or consideration for the other people in the world.</p>
<p>Consequently, Susan Smith could callously drown her kids because they were impeding her relationship with her lover. The woman who strangled her autistic kids after unsuccessfully trying to make them drink poison could do so without caring about the pain she was inflicting on them.</p>
<p>I think these actions are different from those of people who kill others thinking the victims are devils or or thinking that by killing the other people, somehow they are helping them.</p>