Another question for those who are against the death penalty

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You are using an underlying premise for your opinions that you simply cannot prove.

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I do not disagree.

Are you saying you only believe in things that can be logically proven in a scientific sense?

[lastchance]

No, I use assumptions all the time, like you are real, and I'm not talking to some computer, I'm talking to another human.

For the purposes of this discussion, I see no need to accept your assumption of retribution being a good thing. I also have proposed a reasonable alternate theory.

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No, I use assumptions all the time, like you are real, and I'm not talking to some computer, I'm talking to another human.

For the purposes of this discussion, I see no need to accept your assumption of retribution being a good thing. I also have proposed a reasonable alternate theory.

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Got it. I do not think you should accept my assumption that is it a good thing either.

I can accept that people could see retribution as not a good thing. I just disgree when it is applied "justly" which in this case I define as fairly with weight given to both the victom and the one recieving the punishment.

How this relates to my view on the death penalty. I think the real arguement of whether or not we should have a death penalty lies at deciding whether it is "just." I do not think it is simply enough to show whether or not it deters crime or how much it costs because I do not believe this is why people support the death penalty. I also think a just and moral society can have a judicial system which gives some weight to retribution.

This of course does mean that someone who believes punishment for crimes should in part be based on retribution must support the death penalty. Rather it is simply enough for them to believe it is "unjust" with no burden of showing that it does not deter crime or is imperfect in use. The strongest arguement against the death penalty is the one which says a just society capable of protecting itself through other means should not execute its members. As someoe who supports the death penalty it is certainly the one which gives me the most pause.

Anyways you made good points through out the discussion.