ipl-logo

Pojman's Arguments Against Capital Punishment

1672 Words7 Pages

Capital Punishment Capital punishment is widely debated throughout the United States. The United States government at this time deems capital punishment constitutional. Even though the United States government deems it constitutional, each state has the right to make it legal or illegal within their state. Currently, only thirty-one states institute the death penalty. Pojman’s makes an argument through the utilitarian theory of deterrence justifying the death penalty, I will discuss this argument in more detail a little later. Two arguments Pojman uses justifying the death penalty are, the best-bet argument and the common-sense argument. To briefly explain both of these, the best-bet argument states that we don’t know for sure the death penalty …show more content…

Fieser uses the advantages of long-term imprisonment to continue his argument against capital punishment. Fieser says that perpetual slavery is all that is necessary to deter murderers from crimes. He also states that perpetual slavery is equal to or is more of a punishment than the death penalty is. Fieser argues this point by saying some people look at death as a way to escape from their misery and therefore is not that scary to them. The death penalty exerts all of its force at one moment, unlike perpetual slavery, which is continuous. The death penalty is a one-time punishment, whereas perpetual slavery punishes the suffer over and over. In the end, Fieser is saying that using perpetual slavery over the death penalty is a more effective way to deter. I am not sure how much I agree with this. Considering slavery was abolished in 1865, I cannot see the government allowing this form of punishment to be legal. Obviously, we all know how disgusting slavery was, and to start it up again to punish murderers, only bad things could come from such a thing. Therefore, I still believe capital punishment is the only way, as of right now, to punish convicted

Show More
Related
1434 Words | 6 Pages

Oshinsky did a remarkable job explaining the history of the death penalty in a clear and concise way. While the text was fairly short, he effectively provided his readers with well documented and relevant information on how controversial the death penalty has been throughout the past few centuries. He undertook an exceptionally important issue that many Americans do not know much about, or may have conflicting feelings

Read More
130 Words | 1 Pages

In the article, “The Death Penalty: An Opinion Essay,” written by Hamilton Spectator, states that is the first issue that he mentions is that the justice system is never 100% right all the time. While other situations can be changed by a judge a death penalty is unchangeable. Various times of similar crimes are conferred and diverse sentences are given out. As well as depending on the criminals race the consequences valid on the judge 's opinion.

Read More
270 Words | 2 Pages

In “Death Penalty Debates,” Kenneth Jost, author of the Supreme Court Yearbook talks about the issues of capital punishment. Jost went in depth about the opinions of people that are against the death penalty and the thoughts of people that supports the system. Opponents of the death penalty says that prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty less often as it gets very expensive to sentence and convict a person. In addition, jurors are worried about the risk of executing an innocent individual. However, supporters of the death penalty system stated that the costs are the outcome of death penalty lawyers that deliberately delay procedures.

Read More
756 Words | 4 Pages

This seems absolutely obvious, but can it really be that simple? Analysis This argument is set up in such a way as to elaborate his reasoning for being an advocate for the death penalty. He takes the opportunity to take the common arguments against capital punishment and use them to build a case explaining why capital punishment is necessary.

Read More
1482 Words | 6 Pages

The morality of the death penalty is a huge debate in philosophy, and even the political system. This serious topic is controversial and has two main sides; there are abolitionists, which are “those who want to do away with capital punishment,” and there are also retentionists, that want to “retain the death penalty as a part of a system of legal punishment” (Vaughn 348). Both retentionists and abolitionists have strong believes on whether or not capital punishment is just. In the book, Contemporary Moral Arguments by Lewis Vaughn, there are readings by Kant, Cassell, and Stevenson that further describe the differences and sides to the death penalty. In addition, many ethical theories such as deontological and consequential ethics can side

Read More
1102 Words | 5 Pages

Ernest Van Den Haag defense of the death penalty is very will contested. However, his conclusion while contract is still lacking. Haag understanding argument of the death penalty is suitable. However, the problem lays with the fact Haag does not go far enough. One must understand Haag argument to correctly critique his argument.

Read More
585 Words | 3 Pages

Hailey Brunsen Wheeler Composition 2 1 February 2017 Rhetorical Analysis Death penalty; the punishment of execution. Let me ask you a question, does it seem just to solve murder with murder? Wouldn’t the executor of the criminal be just as guilty for murder as the criminal himself? “The Facts: 13 Reasons to Oppose the Death Penalty,” written by an organization called Oregonians for Alternatives to Oppose the Death Penalty. If murder isn’t okay, then neither is the death penalty.

Read More
551 Words | 3 Pages

Pojman uses the analogy if someone committed murder, they would be struck and killed instantly by lightning because by taking another life they forfeited theirs. I find that the following two points from Pojman provides a valid argument as of why we should have the death penalty. He states if we choose a policy of having the death penalty and “… we’re right, we have saved the lives of the innocent. If we are wrong, unfortunately, we’ve sacrificed the lives of some murderers.” (Pojman 144).

Read More
709 Words | 3 Pages

The Death Penalty Information Center has discovered that the states with the death penalty still have higher murder rates that those without, some years even up to a forty percent difference. Additionally, the south accounts for eighty percent of all executions, yet it still has the highest crime rates. Therefore, it is statistically proven that the death penalty is not doing what it was created to do, lower crime rates. There is also the belief that the death penalty is the “easy way out” for the criminals because then they don’t have to face the hardships of prison. The criminal also wouldn’t have to live with what they had done and think about their life choices.

Read More
1924 Words | 8 Pages

The Death of Capital Punishment Should we put capital punishment to death? Capital punishment has been used as far back as the eighteenth-century B.C. The death penalty has spread from Great Britain to the States during the American Revolution, where it has brought a whole slew of problems and despair across the country. Capital punishment may seem to be the solution to heinous criminals, but it should be abolished due to the extensive costs, the fact that it is a form of cruel and unusual punishment, and the tremendous emotional stress on everyone involved.

Read More
1638 Words | 7 Pages

I would say this statement because even if they deserve to die, what right do we or the government have on taking their life away on our own judgment. Capital punishment may just set the example that society is still living in the past, when executing someone on the spot is ok if the government approves of it. Solitary confinement may be a spiteful punishment that leads people into insanity, but it is a option that can change for the worse or the better and is a decision that can be changed. Unlike solitary confinement in capital punishment when people are killed without a second chance they won’t come back. Also capital punishment, mostly benefits the government in which they reduce financial spending on keeping the prisoners alive on things such as food, electricity,water, cloth and even just space.

Read More
1861 Words | 8 Pages

On the opposing side of the issue, there’s the fact that most people seem to declare the death penalty as unconstitutional. Consider the execution of Joseph Wood, a man who suffered nearly two hours before he took his last breath during his execution in Arizona. Author James Fox discussed Wood in his article entitled, “Death Penalty Now Cruel and Unusual.” In this article, Fox criticizes the fact that the Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment but allows the death penalty. Fox is quoted as saying, “the cruelty is becoming very unusual,” referencing the fact that during his execution, Wood was seen gasping for air and painful moans could be heard by the spectators (Fox, par. 1).

Read More
1690 Words | 7 Pages

Firstly, studies consistently show that it does not effectively deter crime, rendering its supposed purpose moot. Secondly, there is a disturbing pattern of racial bias, with black individuals disproportionately receiving death sentences. Furthermore, the harsh conditions endured by death row inmates raise ethical concerns about the treatment of individuals awaiting execution. Lastly, the alarming number of wrongful convictions and subsequent exonerations highlights the irrevocable

Read More
659 Words | 3 Pages

In conclusion the idea that the death penalty should be abolished can be supported by many reasons that include extensive evidence. With the death penalty still established we are putting innocent people's lives at risk, spending millions, and continue with racial segregation. The idea that someone's opinion in court can decide the fate of another person is

Read More
594 Words | 3 Pages

The death penalty is racially biased, ignores and neglects the mentally ill, and is not even a deterrent, all reasons to get rid of it. Capital punishment has been in the United States from the birth of the country to 1972, and from 1976 to the present. The United States is the only Western country that uses the death penalty. As of 2010, 33% of murderers get the Death Penalty. 19 States don’t use the death penalty.

Read More

More about Pojman's Arguments Against Capital Punishment

Related Topics

Open Document