I was quoting myself, I was repeating something that I said in a previous post.
And in the previous post I wasn't quoting you but I was paraphrasing your arguments leading to the inevitable conclusion. You are missing a key step in the argument, I don't think you quite grasp the significance... for example here:
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I've stated repeatedly that we have the conscious ability to conceptualize beyond ourselves and over-rule - to greater or lesser degrees - our many human instincts for the sake of social harmony.
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For any mental state, any state of thinking that we are in at the moment, that leads us to make a behavioural output, there has to have been a previous mental state caused by a previous physical state etc etc that led us to be in that state. If we trace it back all the way to the very first mental 'cause,' if you will, it is inevitably our genetic coding and formation while in the womb. Because of this, my actions are, for better or worse, determined, by my genetics.
That's not to say that we can't learn behavior - for example if I hit you, I may have been 'predisposed' to do it simply because I didn't have the knowledge enabling my brain to allow me to 'choose' the 'better' choice; you will probably be very angry that I hit you and you might hit me back, leading to new knowledge that my brain can filter into its decision making process for the next time.
Its all very well making an abitrary distinction between normal people and sociopaths. Where on earth are you getting this random line from, however? Imagine, for example, that I appear to be completely normal socially (and thus genetically). I'm walking down the street and all of a sudden I see a gorgeous, naked, but obviously too young girl begging me to take her right there. There is no possible way I'll get caught. You might argue that were I really a 'normal' person my consciousness would be able to override my baser instincts. But my genetics have left me predisposed so that if I am in this exact situation where I can take advantage of a young girl and get away with it 100%, i literally have no choice but to do it. No one will ever no that I am a statutory rapist, but unfortunately I am, and though it may seem like I had the choice to do otherwise, I was simply unable, just like the 'real' psycopath, to restrain my desire. Does this make me a lunatic?
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You are presupposing free will and moral responsibility are the only possible justifications for punishing action. Determinists rely on practicality as a justification when they punish wrongdoers.
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What does practicality mean in any given instance? I understand where your coming from though. What, for example, is more practical about locking a serial killer in prison and (some would argue) wasting state money than murdering him on the spot?