APPLICATIONS OF PSYCHOBIOLOGY IN THE FORENSIC FIELD

The course provides the acquisition of knowledge related to the applications of psychobiology in the forensic field. The main purpose of the course is to provide the student with the knowledge necessary to understand psychobiological phenomena, consciousness, mental processes applied to the forensic field.

Neurobiology of the Will

- Mind and Brain

- Scientific Study of Consciousness and Will

- Tragedies of the Will

- Beneficial Illusion of Conscious Will

Measuring Consciousness

Degrees of Freedom

The Mechanism of Empathy: The Bell Curve

Predicting Oneself

Biology and Crime

Explaining “Evil” and Human Cruelty

The Brain, the Mind and the Self

In the Mind of the Defendant

Delirium

Reflections on Human Cruelty

Transient Madness (Cases: 1, 2, 12,14)

Crime Today: Field Experiences

-          Anil Seth. Come il cervello crea la coscienza. Raffaello Cortina Editore.

-          Arnaldo Benini. Neurobiologia della volontà. Raffaello Cortina Editore.

-          Simon Baron-Cohen. La scienza del male. L’empatia e le origini della crudeltà. Raffaello Cortina Editore.

-          Ugo Fornari. Follia transitoria. Il problema dell’irresistibile impulso e del raptus omicida. Raffaello Cortina Editore

ORAL EXAM

During the oral exam, it is permitted to use conceptual and/or mental maps created by the student.

For the purposes of the assessment, the teacher will take into account:

Knowledge and understanding: Knowledge of the applications of psychobiology in the forensic field, of consciousness and its alteration, of empathy, of evil, of criminality, of madness.

Applied knowledge and understanding: Acquisition of knowledge of psychobiological mechanisms and possible alterations.

Autonomy of judgment: Students must acquire the ability to present and critically discuss the basic notions of the discipline.

Communication skills: The student must demonstrate that he or she is able to communicate clearly and with mastery the knowledge acquired during the course, and his or her conclusions in relation to the critical issues of the discipline. Furthermore, he or she must demonstrate that he or she possesses appropriate terminology.

Learning ability: The student must demonstrate that he/she has acquired the technical vocabulary and theoretical-conceptual knowledge covered during the course, in order to be able to critically analyze with scientific rigor the main discoveries of psychobiology in the forensic field. He/she must also demonstrate the ability to understand, analyze and elaborate the contents and knowledge acquired from the study and in-depth analysis of scientific texts and from the consultation of scientific publications in the sector, in order to be able to undertake subsequent in-depth studies independently.

- Psychobiological aspects of the neurobiology of the will

- Consciousness and the will

- The tragedies of the will

- Biological aspects of criminality

- In the mind of the accused

- Delirium

- Explaining "evil" and human cruelty

- Transient madness (Cases: 1, 2, 12,14)

- etc.