ipl-logo

John Stuart Mill Death Penalty Ethical Analysis

836 Words4 Pages

Evan Ring
Intro to Ethics
Dr. A. Mansfield
12/7/16
The Death Penalty and Ethics

John Stuart Mill on The Death Penalty
John Stuart mills supported capital punishment in certain cases and was a known Utilitarian which states that the morally right action is the one that produces the most favorable balance of good over evil, everyone being considered. Suffering being one of the main elements represented in this philosophical approach, as being intrinsically bad and that suffering should always try to be avoided unless it is in the best interest of the majority. In the eyes of a Utilitarian when it comes to crime the action taken must be to inflict justifiable punishment that will in turn reduce crime in the future which is what is best for the majority of the population. In doing this the suffering from every party must be considered even the offender. Mill’s speech points out the importance of deterring crime through implementing punishments sufficient to the …show more content…

Although he supports capital punishment in certain cases such as heinous crimes, the offender must be undoubtedly guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and must not have committed the serious offence due to external pressures or self-defense as this would not lead to the death penalty as a plausible punishment. Mill also illustrates that capital punishment must be used in the most severe cases as it is the most certain way to prevent that person from harming people again but feels that life imprisonment although not as much of a deterrent on the outside looking in as death, might be a worse punishment than a capital punishment. Through the eyes of a Utilitarian it is logical to want to put the most severe criminalists to death but to possibly give other murderers a life sentence with a chance to

Show More
Related
1318 Words | 6 Pages

Nathanson continues to argue against capital punishment by arguing not only against the equal punishment principle but also the proportional retributivism view. While Nathanson believes proportional retributivism plays an important role our determination of appropriate punishment for criminals, it does not, however, apply nor aide arguments in favor of the death

Read More
1236 Words | 5 Pages

From a utilitarian perspective, the potential deterrent effect of capital punishment is questionable, as research has shown that it does not significantly reduce crime rates (Equal Justice Initiative, 2023). Instead, it perpetuates a cycle of violence and retribution that undermines the ultimate goal of

Read More
1291 Words | 6 Pages

He contends that capital punishment violates human rights, does not deter crime effectively, and is often used as a tool of revenge rather than justice. "Walter's case taught me that the death penalty is not about whether people deserve to die for the crimes they commit. The real question of capital punishment in this country is, do we deserve to kill" (Stevenson 313). This quote challenges readers to consider the moral weight of such an irreversible act and reflect on our social responsibility and complicity in administering the ultimate punishment.

Read More
1218 Words | 5 Pages

In actuality, the death penalty is not ethical, as there are more practical ways in dealing with dangerous criminals; the sentencing of life without parole. Meanwhile, as the substantial topic on the death penalty persists, supporters for the death penalty that life without parole is unfair; if they denied a person a right to live, why should they get to live? While that may be true, the thought of

Read More
464 Words | 2 Pages

Method of execution Lethal injection for all 12 Crimes that Warranted Death PenaltyFirst degree murder (usually in addition to rape or robbery) treason (never actually used) How the Death Penalty was Decided The jury would decide whether the defendant was guilty or not, and then in another phase of the trial, would decide to use the death penalty or not. Victim Impact StatementsWhen

Read More
901 Words | 4 Pages

Death Penalty is a very ominous punishment to discuss. It is probably the most controversial and feared form of punishment in the United States. Many are unaware, but 31 of the 52 states have the Death penalty passes as an acceptable punishment. In the following essay, I will agree and support Stephen Nathanson's statement that "Equality retributivism cannot justify the death penalty. " In the reading, "An Eye for an Eye?", Nathanson gives objections to why equality retributivism is morally acceptable for the death penalty to be legal.

Read More
1021 Words | 5 Pages

In recent years, anti-death penalty propagandists have succeeded in stoking the fear that capital punishment is being carelessly meted out. Ironically, Of the 875 prisoners executed in the United States in modern times, not one has been retroactively proved innocent. The benefits of a legal system in which judges and juries have the option of sentencing the cruelest or coldest murderers to death far outweigh the potential risk of executing an innocent person. First and foremost, the death penalty makes it possible for justice to be done to those who commit the worst of all crimes. The execution of a murderer sends a powerful moral message: that the innocent life he took was so precious, and the crime he committed so horrific, that he forfeits

Read More
757 Words | 4 Pages

In his speech, John Stuart Mill justifies the continuity of capital punishment for the worst murderers. Throughout the beginning of the passage, one can find that aggravated murder is the main idea that is being discussed and controversy is if the death penalty should still carry on for those who commit such an extreme crime. He argues that the most dangerous of criminals do the most extreme crimes and that these crimes deserve capital punishment. Therefore, the most dangerous of criminals deserve capital punishment. Mill centers his position around the underlying proposition that punishment possesses an important quality that discourages criminal behavior and says, “to deter by suffering from inflicting suffering is not only possible, but the very purpose of penal justice”

Read More
2019 Words | 9 Pages

inappropriate to try to reform and rehabilitate them to give them the change to let out to the society again because their crimes are so harsh and condemned by the public and the society so that the court decided that the authorities does not have the positive effect to the society by keeping the criminal in the prison, providing them the services with people’s taxes. Many abolitionists claim that retribution is nothing but revenge; it does not contain any good reason but to avenge. They claim that such retribution does not do any good to the victim or to the criminal. Many abolitionists does argue that capital punishment should be replaced with a life without parole, as such sentence would have exactly same effect to the criminal and the society, nonetheless more ethical and humane. Some extreme supporters for capital punishment claim that they would not like their taxes being used to feed and secure a criminal who ‘deserve to be executed’.

Read More
1900 Words | 8 Pages

I must say, you look like a perfect couple. Unfortunately. I am already taken. Your relationship with John is strange.

Read More
1384 Words | 6 Pages

In the following essay I am going to first of all explain what J S Mill means by the statement on mankind’s way of living. I will do this by critically assessing his point of view, whilst adding the perspectives of other Philosophers. Subsequently I will analyze how a defender of Mill’s theory would answer the question of: Should assisted suicide be legal? Finally I will demonstrate my point of view on the question. I will conclude by summing up all the topics discussed.

Read More
838 Words | 4 Pages

Lyndsey Garcia Professor Galindo English 1302-NC8 18 September 2014 Capital Punishment Capital Punishment has been around since 1607 in America. From the time it all began until present time it has not seem to come to an end. I strongly disagree with the Death Penalty. People should not be murdered for being murderers. The legal system is trying to keep the community safe, but is actually getting revenge for committing their crime.

Read More
900 Words | 4 Pages

In the speech that Mill’s presented in front of the government he speaks in favor of the death penalty being used as a punishment, but says it should only be used of a murder crime. Mill’s defends his position on the death penalty by stating that it would lower murder crime rates. Many argued with Mill’s opinion and commented on how sometimes people are wrongfully convicted, but Mill’s responded by saying that the government would have to have full evidence to make sure that person truly committed the crime and is eligible for the death penalty (Journal of the History of Economic Thought, A Note on John Stuart Mill’s View’s on Capital

Read More
779 Words | 4 Pages

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, all these phrases are associated with the death penalty. The death penalty, a concept that has been around since the dawn of human existence, has been a controversy in recent decades in the United States, with strong support and strong disagreement. However, even though it is supported by a large amount of states, and has been found to be in the lines of the Constitution it still violates one thing, ethical reasoning. Principle of Utility assert that a concept’s actions or behaviors are right in so far as they promote happiness or pleasure, wrong as they tend to produce unhappiness or pain. The death penalty does not.

Read More
1048 Words | 5 Pages

In the case of the death penalty, it has the added bonus in guaranteeing that the person would not offend again. Supporters of harsh punishments argue that the would-be criminal would consider the costs versus the benefits of committing a crime. If the costs outweigh the benefits, then it is assumed that he would stop what he is doing, effectively ‘deterred’. Furthermore, the usage of harsh punishments to effectively deter crime is ethically justified as it prevents more people from falling victim to crime. However it is extremely difficult to judge a punishment’s effectiveness based on its deterrence effect, consequently we must consider other variables that would entail a person to commit a crime.

Read More

More about John Stuart Mill Death Penalty Ethical Analysis

Related Topics

Open Document