Either way, if you’re at the mercy of strong emotions that can hijack you, the argument goes, then you might be less culpable for your actions. This assumption now sits at the foundation of Western legal systems, where so-called crimes of passion are given special treatment. Additionally, if you are completely devoid of emotion, then you are seen as more capable of inhuman acts. A serial killer who feels no remorse, some believe, is somehow less human than a murderer who deeply regrets his actions. If this is the case, then morality would be rooted in your ability to feel certain emotions.
