In On Crimes and Punishment, I believe that capital punishment is not necessary to deter, and long term imprisonment is a more powerful deterrent since execution is transient. Following Hobbes, I believe that, in the social contract, we negotiate away only the minimal number of rights necessary to bring about peace. So people try hold onto their right to life, not hand this over to the public for their entertainment. I feel that capital punishment does not help to detain criminals, especially ones that are determined to get out. I believe that continuous slavery is a more effective deterrent than capital punishment. Since we should choose the least severe punishment which accomplishes our purpose (that is, deterrence), then long-lasting slavery is the preferred mode of punishment for the worst crimes. I also believe that furthering the death penalty will have much more worse effects on society which will reduce the feelings of their sensitivity to human suffering. Although capital punishment is practiced in most countries, it will soon be abolished and changed for the better. I try to urge rulers to adopt this stance against capital punishment, and will help them to achieve fame as a great ruler. "False is the idea of utility that sacrifices a thousand real advantages for one imaginary or trifling inconvenience; that would take fire from men because it burns, and water because one may drown in it. . . The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. . . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Not a Big Fan of Capital Punishment
In On Crimes and Punishment, I believe that capital punishment is not necessary to deter, and long term imprisonment is a more powerful deterrent since execution is transient. Following Hobbes, I believe that, in the social contract, we negotiate away only the minimal number of rights necessary to bring about peace. So people try hold onto their right to life, not hand this over to the public for their entertainment. I feel that capital punishment does not help to detain criminals, especially ones that are determined to get out. I believe that continuous slavery is a more effective deterrent than capital punishment. Since we should choose the least severe punishment which accomplishes our purpose (that is, deterrence), then long-lasting slavery is the preferred mode of punishment for the worst crimes. I also believe that furthering the death penalty will have much more worse effects on society which will reduce the feelings of their sensitivity to human suffering. Although capital punishment is practiced in most countries, it will soon be abolished and changed for the better. I try to urge rulers to adopt this stance against capital punishment, and will help them to achieve fame as a great ruler. "False is the idea of utility that sacrifices a thousand real advantages for one imaginary or trifling inconvenience; that would take fire from men because it burns, and water because one may drown in it. . . The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. . . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment