Levenson (1992) asserts that the biological perspective on psychopathy is flawed, and that the phenomenon is better understood as reflecting a philosophy of life centered on the trivialization of others. In this commentary we argue that his critique is based on a misrepresentation of the biological position, which, properly construed, comprises a valid and empirically promising approach to the explanation of psychopathy. Moreover, we contend that Levenson's alternative account is both inconsistent with experimental evidence and diagnostic criteria and lacking in aetiologial power.
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