Moral aspects of mental illness

Abstract

The conduct of a mentally ill person may sometimes resemble the actions of the evildoer. The resemblance, however, is only a superficial one. The motivation behind the acts of the mental patient is beyond his control and sometimes contrary to his will, and, therefore, his actions are devoid of moral responsibility. Sometimes such behaviour is the initial overt manifestation of the underlying mental illness. For instance, an old man of hitherto irreproachable character was brought for treatment after he had been found making sexual advances to a little girl. This was the first inclination of an incipient senile dementia.