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Winning counterterrorism's version of Pascal's wager, but struggling to open the purse

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2014

Brian J. Gibbs
Brian J. Gibbs*
Affiliation:
Behavioural Science Insights, 25 Waratah Avenue, Belgrave, VIC 3160, Australia; Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC 3053, Australia. briangibbs@behaviouralscienceinsights.comwww.behaviouralscienceinsights.combgibbs@gsb.uchicago.eduwww.mbs.edu
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Abstract

Lankford's essential empirical argument, which is based on evidence such as psychological autopsies, is that suicide attacks are caused by suicidality. By operationalizing this causal claim in a hypothetical experiment, I show the claim to be provable, and I contend that its truth is supported by Lankford's data. However, I question his ensuing arguments about beauty and goodness, and thereby the practical value of his work in counterterrorist propaganda.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 37 , Issue 4 , August 2014 , pp. 368 - 369
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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