Mostly it was for the sheer shock value of it and that it was something that nobody else would even dream of. I had deduced (correctly) that the selfless was a necessary component that the professor was looking for in my answer.
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Nothing like a little execution of the convicted to disturb the academic waters!
Some time later i realized that it was a great conversation starter and was ice breaker. While out on a date I would posit the question, listen to the answers while offering some information in return. Obviously, I wouldn’t give my date the “execution bit” but I found it a useful tool in determining the character of any potential suitor and whether this person was on a similar wavelength with myself that cut through the awkward moments