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Inequity Aversion in Primates
Created 18.09.2003 - 18:04

There is a rather article showcasing another one of those primate studies - you know, the ones that purport to have found and explained a fundamental human characteristic in terms of some evolutionary link between and humans. Researchers seem to have no trouble painting a quaint, caricature of human civilisation (never mind the electric probes).

But when one monkey received a grape instead of cucumber, troubles arose. Nearly half the time, the lesser-paid monkey either refused to exchange the rock for cucumber or, if she did exchange for cucumber, refused to eat it.

Fascinating. No, really. At any rate, this goes some way towards explaining the fascination of plaintiffs (and their advocates) with greater and greater damages awards at common law. With tort remedies spiralling out of control and talk of no-fault compensation schemes abounds, many common law legislatures may soon have to take action to end the in many jurisdictions. Of course, the problem with most no-fault schemes is that they may entail grapes for all, but cucumbers for none. seem to have quite an aversion for exchanging their rock for anything less than the juiciest morsel.

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Cite as: Jaani Riordan, ‘Inequity Aversion in Primates’ (2003) Jaani.net Internet Law and Technology <http://www.jaani.net/view/2003/09/18/inequity-aversion-in-primates>.
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