Absolutely LOVED this exchange. Well done you two. Please read Robert Sapolsky's book (I hope I have spelt his name right, apologies if I haven't) "Behave" in which he discusses these issues. His conclusion is that, right up to the point at which we (as Society) convict a person for a crime we must assume that (s)he had agency over their decisions. BUT, as soon as they do become so convicted, we need to switch to understand that they are indeed a product of their genes and their experience, over which they had no control. We must then use their 'correctional punishment' = my phrase - to give them an "experience" that will help them understand their error and prevent them from making a similar mistake again. In the context of Trump, I certainly hope that one of the legal cases against him now, might teach him the error of his ways before he can do any more damage to American Society. Bruce Danckwerts CHOMA, Zambia
Thank YOU, Angel!!!
Absolutely LOVED this exchange. Well done you two. Please read Robert Sapolsky's book (I hope I have spelt his name right, apologies if I haven't) "Behave" in which he discusses these issues. His conclusion is that, right up to the point at which we (as Society) convict a person for a crime we must assume that (s)he had agency over their decisions. BUT, as soon as they do become so convicted, we need to switch to understand that they are indeed a product of their genes and their experience, over which they had no control. We must then use their 'correctional punishment' = my phrase - to give them an "experience" that will help them understand their error and prevent them from making a similar mistake again. In the context of Trump, I certainly hope that one of the legal cases against him now, might teach him the error of his ways before he can do any more damage to American Society. Bruce Danckwerts CHOMA, Zambia