The Punisher's Brain: The Evolution of Judge and Jury (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781107038066)

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.

Author: Morris B. Hoffman
ISBN-10: 1107038065
ISBN-13: 9781107038066
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 04/14/2014
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.45lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.00w x 1.20d

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 05/15/2014 pg. 92
Chronicle of Higher Education 05/09/2014 pg. 17
Chronicle of Higher Education 09/26/2014 pg. 13