Another death penalty question

[censored] · #1 04-22-2005, 02:28 AM

For those who do not support the death penantly. If a system was designed so that it was absolutely impossible for an innocent person to be executed, would you then support it?

Ignore whether or not this is possible.

adios · #2 04-22-2005, 02:33 AM

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For those who do not support the death penantly. If a system was designed so that it was absolutely impossible for an innocent person to be executed, would you then support it?

Ignore whether or not this is possible.

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I'll stipulate that I would not want to see the death panalty used as punishment for more crimes than it is now e.g. robbery and such. With that said yes I would support the death penalty if it was impossible to execute an innocent person. I'd have no problems executing those like the pedophile in Florida who murdered that 9 year old girl. I wouldn't have any problems executing 17 or 16 year olds that were guilty of the type of murders that bring about the death penalty either. For someone like the sniper Malvo, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

[censored] · #3 04-22-2005, 03:37 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
For those who do not support the death penantly. If a system was designed so that it was absolutely impossible for an innocent person to be executed, would you then support it?

Ignore whether or not this is possible.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll stipulate that I would not want to see the death panalty used as punishment for more crimes than it is now e.g. robbery and such. With that said yes I would support the death penalty if it was impossible to execute an innocent person. I'd have no problems executing those like the pedophile in Florida who murdered that 9 year old girl. I wouldn't have any problems executing 17 or 16 year olds that were guilty of the type of murders that bring about the death penalty either. For someone like the sniper Malvo, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

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What if the system could "only" provide 99.999% certainty? This does not mean that 1 in every 100,000 people executed would be innocent only that your level of certainty is 99.999%.

adios · #4 04-22-2005, 11:02 AM

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goofball · #5 04-22-2005, 02:45 AM

No I would not for several reasons.

First, it's pure hypocrisy to kill in cold blood as a punishment for killing in cold blood.

Second, the state having the power to kill it's citizens is something that could quickly become abused.

Third, being a civilized society. Do we really have to kill people to feel a sense of justice? Revenge is not an admirable human trait.

bholdr · #6 04-22-2005, 03:05 AM

no. killing people for revenge is still wrong. there is no reson other than revenge.

if anybody says 'justice' i'm gonna flip the [censored] out.

[censored] · #7 04-22-2005, 03:15 AM

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no. killing people for revenge is still wrong. there is no reson other than revenge.

if anybody says 'justice' i'm gonna flip the [censored] out.

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What in your opinion is the differnce between justice and revenge? Why in your opinion does putting someone in a cell for life constitute justice but killing them is revenge?

Seriously interested in your opinions

bholdr · #8 04-22-2005, 04:32 PM

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What in your opinion is the differnce between justice and revenge?

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I believe that many, many people confuse the concept of justice with those of 'reciprocity' and 'revenge'. To define 'justice' as simply 'people getting what they deserve' or the obverse of the golden rule 'do unto others as they have done unto others' are both massive oversimplifications, and misleading.

Many philosophers have dedicated years and lifetimes to the study of 'justice' and it pisses me off when people think that it's as simple of a thing as revenge.

Putting someine in prison for life is not nessecarily just either, but it's also not a supported by knee-jerk emotive bloodlust, which is the foundation of the (wrong) arguments in favor of the death penalty (ignoring the 'deterrance' argument- which has very little to do with justice).

A lot of it comes down to the maxim behind the action- "when a man kills, he should be punished with death" vs "when a man kills, we should do what is best for him and society" (perhaps, in some situations, executing the man would be 'just' under that definition- if there was no sureity that the man wouldn't get the chance to murder again- there is- nobody escapes from ultra-max prisons)

Basicly, bottom line, Justice is a muchh more complicated concept than revenge and reciprocity- too many people want to oversimplify and say- 'it's justice' when referring to the death penalty- though sometimes it may be.

sirio11 · #9 04-22-2005, 03:33 AM

I support the death penalty with reservations, mostly because of innocent people being executed, and poor people not being able to defend themselves properly; and of course rich people getting away. So based in your example I should say yes, this world would be a better place without some people in it.

The Dude · #10 04-22-2005, 06:19 AM

No, I would still be against it. It completely baffles me how knowing that someone was put to death can reassure or give a feeling of satisfaction to someone who has been wronged - even by a crime unimaginably horrific. It strikes me as emotionally and intellectually immature.

I view capital punishment as one of the most barbaric acts our society continues to commit.