Evil

This may be an indication of real cutlural progress, especially if one keeps some of the caveats mentioned in the article in mind, such as the usefulness of the category in court. I don't think, however, that one can so absolutely rule out Satanic influence in violent pyschopathic behavior. If you do you exclude a possible avenue for conversion for the person.

One "caveat," however, is useless: "Dr. Simon considers the notion of evil to be of no use to forensic psychiatry, in part because evil is ultimately in the eye of the beholder, shaped by political and cultural as well as religious values. The terrorists on Sept. 11 thought that they were serving God, he argues; those who kill people at abortion clinics also claim to be doing so." In both cases the actions are wrong, whether the perpetrators claim religious motivation or not.