Measuring depravity. The Depravity Scale is an international research effort that aims to scientifically standardize the definition of legal terms such as "heinous", "atrocious", "evil" , and "depraved" according to input from the general public. But is the Scale itself, er, a bad idea? [more inside]
posted by stinkycheese on Jun 25, 2008 - 54 comments

Is there anything Japanese sailors won't have sex with? [via]
posted by absalom on Aug 30, 2007 - 95 comments

From 1780 BCE to 2001 AD. Almost four thousand years of sociology, humanity, and depravity. You've come a long way, baby but just how far have we come? Are we going in the right direction? Can a person be inherently good or evil, or is it that one's actions, thoughts and words can be defined as good or evil, and Mankind is intrinsically definied as neither? What is your definition of evil? What is your depravity scale? Would you want to help define evil for the next four thousand years? Will it make a better world?
posted by ZachsMind on Nov 9, 2001 - 13 comments

No, really, on a scale of one to ten, how evil am I? This is the most interesting development in forensic psychology in some time. Is one type of murder more heinous than another? Apparently someone's finally giving the idea some thought.
posted by maxBell on May 13, 2001 - 3 comments