Justice

We tell ourselves stories about cosmic justice. The bully peaks in high school. The cheater gets cheated on. Bad people get what’s coming to them. These stories feel true because we need them to feel true. The alternative is too unsettling. That sometimes terrible people live wonderful lives. That kindness goes unrewarded. That the universe is indifferent to our sense of fairness. I catch myself doing this constantly. When someone cuts me off in traffic, I imagine them getting pulled over five minutes later....

Let’s say free will is an illusion. Your brain makes decisions before “you” know about them. Every choice follows from prior causes stretching back to the Big Bang. Should we still lock people up? The obvious answer is no. How can you blame someone for something they couldn’t help doing? That’s like punishing a rock for falling. But then I think about deterrence. Even if my decision to steal your bike isn’t “free,” the possibility of getting caught still influences that decision....