Rational Dueling
by James on Apr.10, 2010, under Science
This is a truly fascinating read. This paper explores how dueling and the threat of dueling formed the basis of creditworthiness in the days before credit checks. To sum it up, a person was only as good as his word and if someone claimed he wasn’t he had to defend his word or no one would do business with him. Puts the whole “defending one’s honor” into perspective.
Hat Tip: Schneier on Security
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