ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book shows that punishment is natural in the sense that it is unavoidable. Man is punished by his physical environment, an environment that is harsh, that man has devoted most of his civilization to conquering, that is never quite predictable, that brings us droughts, floods, ice, famines, plagues. It also shows how the Italian Inquisition developed an incredibly sophisticated system of punishment and how the sacred aspects of punishment were blended into politics with great precision. The book discusses how punishment was put to the service of the evolving social institutions that required obedience. It reviews the cultural and political significance of the myth. The book shows how animals have played an important role as defendants in criminal and ecclesiastical prosecutions. Domestic animals, especially, are often subject to discipline and punishment by their owners.
