Economist Steven Landsburg argues that if one believes in the
death penalty for murderers because of its deterrent effect, using
cost/benefit analysis we should execute computer hackers - the
creators of worms and viruses - because the deterrent effect in
cost saving would be greater than the deterrent effect in saving
lives. Estimates are that each execution deters eight murders,
which, if one valued each life at about $7 million, saves about $56
million; he estimates that executing hackers would...