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Jul 19, 2023 · As America faced an increasingly punitive social climate leading to the death penalty’s resurgence and the rise of mass incarceration, abolitionists largely abandoned humanistic claims in favor of practical ones. Meanwhile, the opposite generally occurred as abolitionism triumphed in Europe.
- Nicole Smith – An Argument in Favor of Capital Punishment
- Stephen Nathanson – Why We Should Put The Death Penalty to Rest
- My Evaluation
- My Opinions of The Arguments
- Conclusion
- Works Cited
The gist of Nicole Smith’s (Smith par. 1-8) argument is that the death penalty or capital punishment is necessary because it deters murder, thereby saving the victims’ families and friends the pain of losing loved ones. She further argues that in cases where a murder has occurred, the death penalty serves justice to the victim’s loved ones. Smith’s...
Nathanson for his part presents two major arguments in support of his position. Firstly, he argues that the death penalty violates the same values it is supposed to promote (Nathanson 124). For instance, if a criminal receives a death sentence, the only circumstance under which the conviction can be justified, is when the justice system determines ...
I esteem ethics and I believe that matters of life and death, such as those presented in these arguments can only be evaluated adequately by the use of relevant ethical theories. The ethical theories that can best evaluate this issue include utilitarianism and Kantian ethics. In utilitarianism, the merit of an action is evaluated by its consequence...
While Smith’s argument seems plausible at the superficial level, it is not entirely ethical. It is equally unethical for a criminal to kill an innocent victim, but the idea of punishing murder by death is certainly outdated and has no place in modern society. Human society has advanced in many ways and has abandoned the wisdom of its ancient ancest...
In conclusion, both arguments seem to appeal to the sense of reason. However, based on one underlying belief, the distinction can be made as to which argument is more plausible. Although there are circumstances, under which I believe in utilitarianism, in this case, Kantian ethics carry the day. Nathanson’s arguments sound more reasonable to me bec...
Berns, Walter and Joseph Bessette. “Why the Death Penalty is Fair.” Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition ed.: 1. 1998. ProQuest.Web. Gray, James P. “Essay: Facing Facts on the Death Penalty.” Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review 44.3 (2011): 255-264. Academic Search Complete. Web. Nathanson, Stephen. “Why We Should Put the Death Penalty to Rest.” Conte...
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abolitionists—that is, those who oppose capital punishment—should seriously reflect on this fact. Rhetorically, O’Sullivan’s essay uses a negative strategy for the most part, whereby he examines a number of arguments put forth by his opponents, shows their weaknesses, and refutes them. By so doing, he manages to
Mar 10, 2021 · Death penalty abolitionists appeal to contrary intuitions of basic principle. They argue that the death penalty itself is brutal, violent, and just plain evil. Yes, murder is the most serious crime and deserves the most serious criminal punishment.
Aug 23, 2023 · Abolitionists argue that alternatives to the death penalty can achieve justice while respecting human rights. Life imprisonment without parole, for instance, ensures that dangerous offenders remain removed from society while allowing for the possibility of exoneration in the event of new evidence.
Jun 22, 2002 · For some abolitionists, the death penalty is wrong because it violates the offender's right to life. Others object on the ground that the state has no right to kill any of its prisoners. Some oppose the death penalty because they regard it as an affront to human dignity.
Mar 9, 2018 · Today’s abolitionists grow out of a movement to oppose mass incarceration that itself is related to an earlier movement to oppose the death penalty, but in its current usage “abolitionist” suggests an opposition to multiple, interlinked systems of oppression.
