Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Death Penalty

Publius · 05-19-2003, 11:41 PM

My two cents, not that most of you will care. As a philosopher, I can see that there are 3 strong arguments and 1 weak argument for the death penalty. Lets start with the weak one first as it is the most disturbing.
I have heard people argue that murders should be killed to save taxpayer money. As was previously stated in this thread, it actually costs more to execute someone than it does to lock them up for 40+ years. Besides, I am a little uncomforable thinking about the value of anyones life, including that of a convicted murderer in terms of money spent or money saved. Weak argument, lets move on.

The classic argument for capital punishment is that it detours crime. However, almost 95% of all murders do not wake up in the morning knowing that they are about to kill someone. Furthermore, again as was already previously mentioned, there is no evidence that captial punishment detours crime in any way, some statistics even seem to point to the opposite.

Second, capitial punishment has been argued for on the basis that it is justice, eye for an eye and all that. But how can this be justice? Most capitial punishment today is done through lethal injection. How many murderers have you read about go around lethally injecting someone? or for that matter strap peps into electric chairs? NO ONE! (ok so there is a possible world in where someone does do this, but its not going to be a common place occurance.) So I ask how is this justice? I dont see it myself because the punishment does not fit the crime for many different reasons, most of which have already been covered so I wont repeat them here.

Lastly, and probably the best argument in my humble oppinion for CP is that it guaruntees that the offender never has the chance to escape prison (be released?) and commit further acts of crime against humanity. True, no doubt about it, once those SOB are dead they arent going to be coming back to kill anyone else. But then again, what happens if they were innocent? then what? cant say 'oops, man we screwed up? sorry about the 25,000 volts dude." If and only if we could guaruntee that each and every person on death role was guilty would this be a good argument, but as we cant, and because it isnt handed out evenly to all convicts, I don't think this one works either.

Personally, I am against CP in all but the most extreme cases. The rest of the time I think we should lock them up in an 6ft by 8ft cell, with one small window 10 feet up the wall, for 23 1/2 hours a day for the rest of their natural lives w/o the possibility of parole. For me, as an agnostic, this is way worse of a punishment that any supposed hell that may or may not be waiting for me on the other side. I think most of use would agree that if they had to choose between the death sentance or staying in the cell for the rest of our lives we would pick the death sentance, I know I would.

05-19-2003, 11:41 PM	#81 (permalink)
Publius Crazy Location: Never Never Land	My two cents, not that most of you will care. As a philosopher, I can see that there are 3 strong arguments and 1 weak argument for the death penalty. Lets start with the weak one first as it is the most disturbing. I have heard people argue that murders should be killed to save taxpayer money. As was previously stated in this thread, it actually costs more to execute someone than it does to lock them up for 40+ years. Besides, I am a little uncomforable thinking about the value of anyones life, including that of a convicted murderer in terms of money spent or money saved. Weak argument, lets move on. The classic argument for capital punishment is that it detours crime. However, almost 95% of all murders do not wake up in the morning knowing that they are about to kill someone. Furthermore, again as was already previously mentioned, there is no evidence that captial punishment detours crime in any way, some statistics even seem to point to the opposite. Second, capitial punishment has been argued for on the basis that it is justice, eye for an eye and all that. But how can this be justice? Most capitial punishment today is done through lethal injection. How many murderers have you read about go around lethally injecting someone? or for that matter strap peps into electric chairs? NO ONE! (ok so there is a possible world in where someone does do this, but its not going to be a common place occurance.) So I ask how is this justice? I dont see it myself because the punishment does not fit the crime for many different reasons, most of which have already been covered so I wont repeat them here. Lastly, and probably the best argument in my humble oppinion for CP is that it guaruntees that the offender never has the chance to escape prison (be released?) and commit further acts of crime against humanity. True, no doubt about it, once those SOB are dead they arent going to be coming back to kill anyone else. But then again, what happens if they were innocent? then what? cant say 'oops, man we screwed up? sorry about the 25,000 volts dude." If and only if we could guaruntee that each and every person on death role was guilty would this be a good argument, but as we cant, and because it isnt handed out evenly to all convicts, I don't think this one works either. Personally, I am against CP in all but the most extreme cases. The rest of the time I think we should lock them up in an 6ft by 8ft cell, with one small window 10 feet up the wall, for 23 1/2 hours a day for the rest of their natural lives w/o the possibility of parole. For me, as an agnostic, this is way worse of a punishment that any supposed hell that may or may not be waiting for me on the other side. I think most of use would agree that if they had to choose between the death sentance or staying in the cell for the rest of our lives we would pick the death sentance, I know I would.