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John Stuart Mill's Arguments Against The Death Penalty

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The death penalty is a punishment of execution, given to someone legally convicted of a capital crime. The death penalty laws were established in the 18th century B.C when king Hammaurabi of Babylon instituted the law for 25 different crimes. In Jewish history the death penalty could only be given after trail by the Sanhedrin, which was composed of twenty-three judges. There were four different ways the death penalty was imposed on an individual, these were burning, stoning, strangling and slaying (Talmud). In today’s society most countries have abolished the death penalty due to various reasons such as unfair justice, but others still have it in place, for example some states in The United States of America. Crimes that fall under the capital …show more content…

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 …show more content…

The Assault on a Biblical Text” By Wilma A. Bailey it mentions that for many centuries there was an attempt to understand the true meaning of the commandment “do not kill” on the topic of the death penalty. Barry Cytron gives three points that are used in Judaism to support the death penalty. The first example Cytron brings in is that “moral order demands it” (death penalty). The second example Cytron brings in is the “life for a life” statement and the third example Cytron brings in is that it restores balance (“You Shall Not Kill or You Shall Not Murder? The Assault on a Biblical Text”, Wilma A.

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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.

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in the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes (Part I: History of the Death Penalty). Since then it has evolved and has become one of the most argued and controversial topics of the century. According to Amnesty International, seventy-six countries have eradicated the death penalty completely, and many countries that retain the death penalty have not utilized it for years. One of the reasons this topic is so disputed is because of the anguish that comes with it, especially for the condemned.

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