Sounds like the old 'Twinkie defense'. On Oct 27, 2011, at 4:31 PM, Beth Benoit wrote:
A female ex-Ohio teacher was convicted of having sex with five high school students. Her "defense psychologist" argued that "Schuler's medical and physical ailments combined with her vegan diet and use of alcohol and an antidepressant were a 'perfect storm' that impaired her ability to tell right from wrong." http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45066380/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/#.TqnGs5uXuso I'm adding this to my Social Psychology course's list of "insanity arguments in the U.S. that didn't work." I always point out, as I'm sure most of you do, that these arguments seldom work here, in large part because of our cultural feelings about autonomy, and thus, responsibility for our own actions. And I might add that while my arguments so often refer to the "U.S. of A.," I suspect they'd also work for Canada. Right, Stephen, Stewart and our other compadres to the North? On another note, I wonder if this argument will compel vegans to assert that their diet is no more likely than any other to contribute to a "perfect storm." I'd expect so. I'm a little embarrassed that psychology is combined with this kind of news. Beth Benoit Granite State College Plymouth State University New Hampshire --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=13712 or send a blank email to leave-13712-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
