Episode 81: Against Retribution

Two Psychologists Four Beers

Alexa moonlights as a guest and answers Yoel's questions about her recent paper, in which she argues that the criminal justice system should abandon retribution. Alexa claims that when we ask if someone is blameworthy, we are asking social scientific questions: Were they rational? Were they being coerced? Were they acting out of character? We discuss some aspects of the social scientific evidence - from vignettes about soaping windows to group-to-individual inference - and consider whether it can provide satisfying answers. And, Yoel challenges Alexa to consider whether her utopian vision might have unintended consequences.

Plus, we talk about Canadian truckers, and Alexa keeps her valentine's day collage shrouded in mystery.

Links:

• Two Psychologists F. on Untappd
• PsyArXiv Preprints | The limitations of social science as the arbiter of blame: An argument for abandoning retribution
• Spa Packages | Relaxation & Well-being | Bota Bota, spa on a boat
• Was Canada Trucker Protest a Blip, or the Start of Something Bigger? - The New York Times