Isolated, Contained, Excised, and Despised

Some musings on the psychology and neuroscience of punishment (Part One)

‘Look closely at life. It is so constituted that one senses punishment everywhere.’

(Victor Hugo, Punishment)

Punishment has been and continues to be a feature of all human societies and a prime feature of human interactions. Punishment is by far our most widely-used social regulator, at least at the level of the legal system. Our laws are dotted with fi…