WDW152H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Steven Pinker
Crime has generally been decreasing since Middle Ages
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Torture devices
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Death penalty for minor infractions
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Torture, death used as entertainment
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Men against men - state of nature / war
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Bible - references
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Middle Ages:
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Rates decreasing
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Death penalty rare
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State systems prevent crime / anarchy
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Currently
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Changes in standards
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Deterrence
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Hobbes --> state prevents crime
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Life means more now, standards are higher, people typically live longer
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People have higher regard for life now than they used to
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Life is cheap - James Payne
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Cooperation / non-violence can benefit all parties
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Technology has increased the amount of nonzero-sum game opportunities
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People are more valuable live than dead to us
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Non zero-sum game - Wright
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Sense of empathy
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Globalization - see more people as our friends / care for / empathize for
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The Expanding Circle - Peter Singer
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Why?
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Joshua S. Goldstein and Steven Pinker, “War is Really Going Out of Style,” New York Times, Dec 17,
2011. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/opinion/sunday/war-really-is-going-out-of-style.html
OR Steven Pinker, “The Surprising Decline in Violence”March 2007 TED talk (21:12) Available at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ramBFRt1Uzk
Trends in Global Conflict: The Nobel Conflict Map. Available at
http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/peace/conflictmap/about.html
Reading 2.3: Trends in War
January 25, 2017
7:05 PM
READINGS Page 1
Document Summary
Joshua s. goldstein and steven pinker, war is really going out of style, new york times, dec 17: available at: http://www. nytimes. com/2011/12/18/opinion/sunday/war-really-is-going-out-of-style. html. Or steven pinker, the surprising decline in violence march 2007 ted talk (21:12) available at https://www. youtube. com/watch?v=rambfrt1uzk. Life means more now, standards are higher, people typically live longer. People have higher regard for life now than they used to. Technology has increased the amount of nonzero-sum game opportunities. People are more valuable live than dead to us. Globalization - see more people as our friends / care for / empathize for. Trends in global conflict: the nobel conflict map. Crime has generally been decreasing since middle ages. Men against men - state of nature / war.