/sci/ - Science & Math

Are there any sociopaths out there that live as productive, law abiding citizens?

Emotions are instinctive responses to situations. Most people have emotions because they are evolutionary useful, but they many times hinder logical thought.

Sociopaths lack emotional responses. The condition is labeled a disorder because sociopaths are often selfish. The actions they take are often very logical or seemingly absurd, having no regard for personal safety.

We all like logical answers, right? Sociopathy would, on the surface, appear to be a pretty cool thing to have; but humans aren't typically smart enough to see the long-term consequences of their actions. A sociopath may benefit from theft, but if repeated many times one will eventually be caught and ostracized within the community. It would appear that humans need something a little more than logic to push them in the right direction.

Which emotions are necessary and which are more or less dead weight for a person striving for logical thought?