According to one [[theory]], put forward by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Leeson Peter Leeson],'' trial by ordeal'' was surprisingly [[effective]] at sorting the [[guilty]] from the [[innocent]]. Because defendants were believers, only the truly innocent would [[choose]] to [[endure]] a [[trial]]; [[guilty]] defendants would [[confess]] or settle cases instead. Therefore, the [[theory]] goes, [[church]] and [[judicial]] [[authorities]] would routinely rig ordeals so that the [[participants]]—presumably innocent—could pass them. If this [[theory]] is correct, medieval [[superstition]] was actually a useful [[motivating]] [[force]] for [[justice]]. | According to one [[theory]], put forward by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Leeson Peter Leeson],'' trial by ordeal'' was surprisingly [[effective]] at sorting the [[guilty]] from the [[innocent]]. Because defendants were believers, only the truly innocent would [[choose]] to [[endure]] a [[trial]]; [[guilty]] defendants would [[confess]] or settle cases instead. Therefore, the [[theory]] goes, [[church]] and [[judicial]] [[authorities]] would routinely rig ordeals so that the [[participants]]—presumably innocent—could pass them. If this [[theory]] is correct, medieval [[superstition]] was actually a useful [[motivating]] [[force]] for [[justice]]. |