Mental Illness and Moral Discernment: A Clinical Psychiatric Perspective

As a contribution to a wider discussion on moral discernment in theological anthropology, this paper seeks to answer the question “What is the impact of mental illness on an individual’s ability to make moral decisions?” Written from a clinical psychiatric perspective, it considers recent contributi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal for philosophy of religion
Subtitles:"Theme: How Discernment between Good and Evil shapes the Dynamics of the Human Journey"
Authors: Angus, Duncan A. P. (Author) ; Carson, Marion L. S. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: University of Innsbruck in cooperation with the John Hick Centre for Philosophy of Religion at the University of Birmingham [2020]
In: European journal for philosophy of religion
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Mentally disturbed / Moral judgment
RelBib Classification:AE Psychology of religion
NCA Ethics
NCB Personal ethics
Further subjects:B Free Will
B Determinism
B Mental Illness
B Moral Responsibility
B Neuropsychology
B Theological Anthropology
B Psychiatry
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Summary:As a contribution to a wider discussion on moral discernment in theological anthropology, this paper seeks to answer the question “What is the impact of mental illness on an individual’s ability to make moral decisions?” Written from a clinical psychiatric perspective, it considers recent contributions from psychology, neuropsychology and imaging technology. It notes that the popular conception that mental illness necessarily robs an individual of moral responsibility is largely unfounded. Most people who suffer from mental health problems do not lose the capacity to make moral decisions, and mental illness on its own rarely explains anti-social or criminal behaviour. Moreover, the assumptions of some scientists, that recent developments in neuropsychology and brain imaging suggest biological determinism, must be treated with caution.
Contains:Enthalten in: European journal for philosophy of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.24204/ejpr.v12i4.3530