Re: “Insanity, mental illness collide in Aurora theater shooting trial,” May 31 news story.
The questions of guilt and “evil” lie in the realms of ethics, religion, psychology and law. Does one accept “evil” as an external reality? Under what conditions and circumstances do guilt and “evil” become manifest?
In the James Holmes case, a psychiatrist contends, despite clear evidence that Holmes had suffered a major mental breakdown, that he nonetheless was able to judge right from wrong. But can a person reach a point where the question of right and wrong ceases to matter?
In times of war, “thou shalt not kill” would seem to cease to matter, and “thou shalt not steal” seems to frequently disappear in finance and banking. Are these cases of insanity or willful acts of evil?
To a person in the midst of a mental breakdown, just what things do truly matter?
Robert Porath , Boulder
This letter was published in the June 7 edition.
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