Author: Yunsuh Nike Wee, Ph.D. Student in Experimental Psychology, Oklahoma State University

The Bible’s lex talionis – “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Exodus 21:24-27) – has captured the human imagination for millennia. This idea of fairness has been a model for ensuring justice when bodily harm is inflicted. Thanks to the work of linguists, historians, archaeologists and anthropologists, researchers know a lot about how different body parts are appraised in societies both small and large, from ancient times to the present day. But where did such laws originate? According to one school of thought, laws are cultural constructions – meaning they vary across cultures and…