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State of the State is about the effectiveness and culture of Illinois government. Written by Brian Mackey, the blog focuses on key areas of news important to Illinois such as criminal justice and labor.

Why Does The Law Depend On Luck?

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Ray Nelson
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flickr.com/ray811

In episode 5 of the State of the State podcast, we look at moral luck. In the context of the law, moral luck is the notion that chance outcomes can play a significant role in how one is treated — think of the different punishments for attempted murder versus actual murder. Harvard psychologist Fiery Cushman joins us to talk about his research into this area. And we'll hear about a real-world example in which questions about moral luck could be changing the law in Illinois.

This episode of the State of the State podcast originated as my column in the May 2015 edition of Illinois Issues magazine.

Subscribe to the State of the Statepodcast and other WUIS programs on our podcast page, or by copying this URL into iTunes or any other podcast app.

Brian Mackey formerly reported on state government and politics for NPR Illinois and a dozen other public radio stations across the state. Before that, he was A&E editor at The State Journal-Register and Statehouse bureau chief for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
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