How humans invented good and evil, and may reinvent both
Over thousands of years humans domesticated themselves
Trial by boiling water was not as bad as it sounded. In medieval Europe, those accused of grave crimes might be ordered to plunge an arm into a bubbling cauldron to retrieve an object. If they were scalded, that was God’s way of revealing their guilt. The chance of acquittal would seem to be zero, but 60% of those who underwent this ordeal got off. How come?
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “How humans invented good and evil”
Culture October 12th 2024
- How humans invented good and evil, and may reinvent both
- How complicated is brain surgery actually?
- Why you should read Mohamed Mbougar Sarr
- Boris Johnson shows how not to write a political memoir
- Americans are chuffed as chips at British English
- Is TV’s next sure-fire hit, “Disclaimer”, a must-watch or a dud?
From the October 12th 2024 edition
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In the second world war, some diplomacy was done between the sheets
Pamela Churchill Harriman, daughter-in-law of the prime minister, ran an effective charm offensive
Why the world is so animated about anime
Japan’s cartoons have conquered its screens, and more
How a second nuclear disaster was avoided at Chernobyl in 2022
The Russian occupation underscored the risks posed by nuclear sites in wartime
Han Kang wins the Nobel prize in literature for 2024
The South Korean author offers another example of the country’s cultural clout
How complicated is brain surgery actually?
A doctor reveals the myths and realities of his profession
Why you should read Mohamed Mbougar Sarr
The Senegalese novelist is one of the boldest writers working today