Will They Turn the Other Cheek? Decision Making and Victim’s Religious Self-Identification

Ii Craig A Depken ,Dennis Wilson

doi:10.33642/ijbass.v6n2p6

Abstract

This paper examines the implications for potential victims of crime through religious self- identification. If a criminal can choose between an unidentified victim and a religiously self-identified individual, all else equal whom does he choose to victimize? We use religious self-identification to indicate that a person is a believer of Pascal’s Wager while the criminal does not subscribe to the wager. We then derive game-theoretic decision matrices to depict the potential payoffs to a victim from resisting or conceding to the criminal activity. A similar analysis is conducted from the criminal’s perspective to determine who to victimize. This analysis helps sheds light upon the decision of religiously motivated suicidal action and the decision of whom to victimize.

Highlights

Cognitive decision making is predicated upon one’s understanding of their condition, their objectives, and their expectation of relevant outcomes
Implications of Pascal’s Wager The infinite reward of heaven promised in the popular form of Pascal’s Wager provides an incentive for believers to engage in ever riskier behaviors, potentially to the point of being suicidal
The biblical verse of “Do not put the Lord your God to the test...” (Deut. 6.16, NIV), might indicate that rewards may be jeopardized with an unduly pursuit of death

Summary

Introduction

Cognitive decision making is predicated upon one’s understanding of their condition, their objectives, and their expectation of relevant outcomes. The suggested payoffs indicate that under Pascal’s Wager, the criminal is more likely to victimize the unidentified individual because a religiously self-identified individual is more likely to resist and increase the cost to the assailant. To many, this result may seem counter-intuitive. Pascal argues that belief in God is prudent because the rewards are infinite and belief is a necessary condition for enjoying this inheritance This argument can be further illustrated with the following game theoretic decision matrix: Table 1: Pascal’s Wager

God Does Not Exist

Conclusions