Definition of Hamartia as a Psychiatric Disorder

This was written as a kind of addendum to Chapter 2 of An Unconventional Theology. I was thinking one night as to what it might look like if Hamartia was listed in the DSM-V or if it were written up as a psychiatric disorder (which I believe it is, though unique to human beings):

Hamartia:

Hamartia is a hereditary, biological disorder of behavior which affects the human mind. It has not been observed in other animals. Because there is no known modern human unaffected by this disorder, a “normal” baseline must be drawn from the next closest living genetically related animal which can be studied for behavior. In this case this would be chimpanzees and bonobos which share a 98.5% correlation of DNA with human beings, as well as other mammals to a lesser extent in descending order of genetic similarity.

It is chiefly characterized by a centralized preoccupation with and protection of one’s “self” (how one is perceived by others, the fulfillment of one’s biological drives, and any perceived desires by oneself), a decreased empathy or empathic connection with others, and with the delusion in judgment that something displeasing or perceived as harmful to oneself is “morally bad” as opposed to “morally good” (a delusion which no other animal appears to share). This may be, and frequently is, transferred onto an external code of conduct, philosophy, or general belief system which may or may not be foundational to the afflicted’s psychological noetic structure as the affected person’s self-identifies with that belief system. An attack on the accepted belief system psychologically becomes a threat to one’s own sense of identity. Similarly the denial of a perceived need or want of the affected person, regardless of the reason, is also seen as “morally bad” (in relation to oneself) and therefore the cause of the denial becomes a potential threat to oneself. The human psyche appears to automatically seek to protect itself strongly against any perceived threats even over and above perceived threats of personal bodily harm. This latter may result in what appears to be self-destructive behavior.

Curiously, one presentation of Hamartia has historically involved the delusion of a divine power being contained in an inanimate object (often carved to resemble another human being or an animal). Traditionally this is referred to as “Idolatry”, being named for the Greek words “eidolon” and “latreia” and meaning “to do priestly service to an image”. How this relates to the principle presentation of preoccupation with and protection of one’s self is presently unknown.

Symptomatically, Hamartia presents behaviorally in a variety of ways and degrees of apparent severity including but not limited to:

-Paranoia or Preoccupation with Past Events

-This appears to be either events that the affect perceives as positive to oneself or events which the affected perceives as negative to oneself. That it, there appears to be the inability to “let it go”.

-Paranoia or Preoccupation with Future Events

-This appears to be a preoccupation with whether or not an expected future event will result in an outcome perceived as either positive or negative to oneself.

-Intentional Homicide, both premeditated and unpremeditated

-It should here be noted that chimpanzees have been observed to commit group murder. However it is unknown as to the cause and whether or not the victim was perceived as a threat to the entire group. Several species of animals in nature have been observed to attack and kill members of their own species which are perceived as physical threats or dangerous to their family groupings. Human beings have been known to kill each other for pleasure (either actually, vicariously, or virtually) and historically have taken recreational enjoyment in watching the murder or physical torture and abuse of other human beings with no other obvious benefit to themselves or their survival. They are the only known animal to do this.

-Intentional Premeditated Suicide

-Attachment to Inanimate Objects, Ideas, Beliefs, Persons (both real and imagined), and Circumstantial Conditions

-Theft

-Lying

-Greed

-Looking after One’s Own Interests at the Expense of Another’s

-This may be either a failure in the human brain’s evolved ability to mirror the expressed emotions of another, such as in sociopathy, or a psychological override of that ability due to a perceived threat to oneself.

-Desiring an Object Belonging to Someone Else

-Sexual Promiscuity

-Bonobos have been observed as sexually promiscuous among and between family groupings, and have been observed using casual sexual intercourse as a way of solving disputes and socializing. This however appears different from human sexual promiscuity which frequently does not occur within family groupings and which frequently carries negative emotional consequences for the parties involved due to perceived threats to one’s identity and social status.

-Overeating

-Pride in Oneself, One’s Accomplishments, One’s Possessions, One’s Appearance, Etc.

-Zealotry for One’s Beliefs (including a denial of any evidence contradicting those beliefs)

-Delusions (including the aforementioned “idolatry’)

-Substance Abuse including Alcohol Intoxication

-Hostility

-Angry Outbusts

-Dissension

-Factionalism

-Jealousy of Another Human Being’s Possessions, Accomplishments, Appearance, etc.

Co-morbid with and possible precursor of other psychological disorders including but not limited to:

-Depression

-Sociopathy

-Anorexia Nervosa

-Bulimia

-Substance Addiction

-Oppositional Defiance Disorder

-Obsessive Compulsive Disorder