I suspect that one (at least tacit) purpose of the death penalty is as negotiating leverage by prosecutors to reach agreements: e.g., “plead guilty and we won’t pursue the death penalty”. If that’s correct, then Kahneman and Tversky identified another principle at play, that of anchoring.
I suspect that one (at least tacit) purpose of the death penalty is as negotiating leverage by prosecutors to reach agreements: e.g., “plead guilty and we won’t pursue the death penalty”. If that’s correct, then Kahneman and Tversky identified another principle at play, that of anchoring.
so maybe on utilitarian grounds it would be worthwhile to have a lottery where 1/1000 of death row inmates get spectacularly tortured on television
The murderer executed in Utah this week was convicted and sentenced to death 25 years ago.