The punisher's brain : the evolution of judge and jury / Morris B. Hoffman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hoffman, Morris B., 1952- author.

Series:

Cambridge studies in economics, cognition, and society.

Cambridge studies in economics, cognition, and society

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Punishment--Social aspects.

Punishment.

Human evolution.

Social evolution.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xi, 359 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2014.

System Details:

text file

PDF

Summary:

Why do we punish, and why do we forgive? Are these learned behaviors, or is there something deeper going on? This book argues that there is indeed something deeper going on, and that our essential response to the killers, rapists, and other wrongdoers among us has been programmed into our brains by evolution. Using evidence and arguments from neuroscience and evolutionary psychology, Morris B. Hoffman traces the development of our innate drives to punish - and to forgive - throughout human history. He describes how, over time, these innate drives became codified into our present legal systems and how the responsibility and authority to punish and forgive was delegated to one person - the judge - or a subset of the group - the jury. Hoffman shows how these urges inform our most deeply held legal principles and how they might animate some legal reforms.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Other Format:

Print version:

ISBN:

9781139811873

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.