Should a Criminal Solipsist Be Acquitted?

Kedar Joshi

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to discuss whether a criminal solipsist should be acquitted. A solipsist is generally a one who believes that other apparently animate (and also inanimate) entities have no feeling/s or state/s of consciousness associated with them. Therefore, considering that solipsism makes sense, a solipsist tends to have no criminal mind, and thus they could be justly accused only in a conventional sense. This work discusses the definition and types of solipsism, the types of solipsistic crimes, the psychology of a judge, and the positive as well as the negative consequences of such acquittal as well as conviction. The work finally concludes in the favour of acquittal in the case of some specific solipsists committing some particular types of crime.