What analogy did the presenter use to describe the history of punishment?

The analogy of a pendulum is effective for describing the history of punishment because it captures the idea of swinging from one extreme to another over time. This imagery suggests that societal views and approaches to punishment are not static; rather, they fluctuate based on cultural, political, and philosophical influences. Just as a pendulum swings back and forth, the methods of punishment may change in response to shifting attitudes towards morality, justice, and rehabilitation. This analogy highlights the dynamic nature of how humans have perceived and handled punishment throughout history, reflecting a continual movement between harsher and more lenient practices.

While the concepts of a wheel, path, and chain could represent various ideas in different contexts, they do not convey the cyclical and oscillating nature of punishment practices as effectively as a pendulum does. The idea of a wheel might suggest a continuous loop but lacks the nuance of shifting extremes, while a path implies a linear progression rather than the back-and-forth movement indicative of changing perspectives. A chain suggests a fixed or connected sequence, which does not align with the more fluid and changing history of punishment as captured by the pendulum analogy.