Preview

Capital Punishment: Ethical Considerations

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
475 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Capital Punishment: Ethical Considerations
Nathan Strain
Capital Punishment, Ethical Considerations
PHL464X Fall 2014
Sullivan University
10/26/14
Introduction
Capital punishment as defined by Thiroux, J. and Krasemann, K. (2012) is the inflection of death for certain crimes. Capital punishment is a widely debated topic. Some states have banned its use and others continue the practice. Philosophies differ on its use some call for an eye-for-eye type of punishment and others call for rehabilitation. The ethical debate of weather capital punishment is just and should be carried out are intense and some hold strong beliefs one way or the other.
Theories For Capital Punishment
One theory to justify capital punishment would be Act Utilitarianism. “Act utilitarianism essentially
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Capital Punishment: The Code Of Hammurabi
    • 1322 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Capital Punishment: The Code Of Hammurabi

    “Everybody believes that capital punishment is wrong, but when they look at certain cases, they are quick to say, “Put them to death”, or “scream capital punishment.”” Jeff Lindsay. Capital punishment is the legally authorized killing of someone as a punishment for a crime. It has been around since time itself. In the 1700’s, The Code of Hammurabi was the first known written document there were twenty-five crimes that were punishable by death such as adultery, and helping slaves escape. Only the most heinous of those warranted such a stringent sentence. And while there are many methods that may take a prisoner's life, there are also alternatives. One must ask though, “Do those options do justice to the unspeakable acts these criminals have…

    • 1322 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Johnny Frank Garrett's Argument Against The Death Penalty
    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Johnny Frank Garrett's Argument Against The Death Penalty

    It is an established fact, that capital punishment is still conducted in many countries of the earth. People are being sentenced to death every day and in my essay I am going to respond to the ethic question whether death penalty serves as a justified and valid form of punishment.…

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Aristotle & Mill on Capital Punishment
    • 1332 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Aristotle & Mill on Capital Punishment

    Capital Punishment is a moral controversy in today’s society. It is the judicial execution of criminals judged guilty of capital offenses by the state, or in other words, the death penalty. The first established death penalty laws can date back to the Eighteenth Century B.C. and the ethical debates towards this issue have existed just as long. There is a constant pro-con debate about this issue, and philosophers like Aristotle and Mill have their own take on this controversy as well. Aristotle is against capital punishment, while Mill believes it is morally permissible.…

    • 1332 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Persuasive Speech On Capital Punishment
    • 102 Words
    • 1 Page

    Persuasive Speech On Capital Punishment

    Capital punishment is the ultimate sentence administered by the government for committing dangerous offenses. The word “capital” derives from the Latin word “capitalis,” meaning “of the head.” Original instances of capital punishment included beheading and hanging, leading to the use of word “capital” today. Through history, communities have considered some types of crimes so terrifying that the death penalty has been enacted for them. Over time, changing moralistic values and notions on government authority have limited the number and sorts of crimes considered worthy of death. Many countries have eliminated capital punishment totally, dismissing it as an inhumane reaction to criminal…

    • 102 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Capital Punishment Is Dead Wrong Analysis
    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Capital Punishment Is Dead Wrong Analysis

    The death penalty is a major topic for debate Shannon Rafferty defends in her portfolio published by Penn State entitled “Death Penalty Persuasive Essay.” She believes the penalty should be allowed because it functions as a deterrent, it provides society retribution and it is morally just. Olivia H. disagrees with use of the death penalty in her essay “Capital Punishment Is Dead wrong.” She tells about the risk of punishing the innocent, and how the states are doing irreversible acts of crime. As the authors disagree about whether the death penalty should be allowed, they have some common ground when it comes to admitting the potential for human error and in both disagreeing to the use of barbaric punishments by the government.…

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Research Paper Outline For Capital Punishment
    • 870 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Research Paper Outline For Capital Punishment

    The controversial issue of capital punishment has intense moral implications to all those involved. Although it is a necessary and important penalty in modern day society, it should be regulated as such. Capital Punishment is moral when it comes to disciplining an individual for monstrous crimes.…

    • 870 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Best Essays

    Capital Punishment: Looking at Both Sides
    • 1030 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Capital Punishment: Looking at Both Sides

    Zimring, F. (2003). The contradictions of American capital punishment. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press 6 Apr. 2010.…

    • 1030 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Best Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Bern Death Penalty
    • 620 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Bern Death Penalty

    Capital punishment is a punitive measure in which an offender is found guilty through the traditional judicial process and the punishment delivered is execution. Depending on the state the offender was processed in, execution may be delivered in many ways ranging from lethal injection to death by electrocution. Crimes for which capital punishment is applicable for are known as capital crimes. Since capital punishment is essentially about the use of the death penalty, it must be asked whether it is a rational and effective way to react to and address capital the crimes. This writing will explore both the moral and practical implications of capital punishment and also look at it from an ethical viewpoint.…

    • 620 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Arguments Against The Death Penalty
    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Arguments Against The Death Penalty

    Capital punishment is a punishment that results in death usually caused by capital crimes or capital offenses. It is commonly referred to as the death sentence. According to an article “Buzzle” not all countries accept capital punishment but there are still a lot of states who do (par.1). Capital punishment has been around for thousands of years, this punishment is said to have helped keep crime level down and alter the minds of future criminals to prevent them from committing atrocious crimes such as: murder, terrorism, and in some situations aggravated kidnapping.…

    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Morality Of Capital Punishment In The United States
    • 424 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Morality Of Capital Punishment In The United States

    Although many view capital punishment or the death penalty as cruel and unusual punishment it is still strongly used today in the United States. In today’s time people discuss capital punishment when referring to criminals such as the Mason Family, OJ Simpson, Bonnie and Clyde, Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, Tedd Bundy, Amy Fisher, and Al Capone who were all hardcore criminals. However not everyone views capital punishments as cruel and unusual, some have religious factors to consider. Most major world religions take a puzzling position on the morality of capital punishment. Religions are often based on a body of teachings the standards of present-day Western civilization, and the Old Testament. A few public…

    • 424 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Is the Death Penalty Constitutional?
    • 1139 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Is the Death Penalty Constitutional?

    Capital Punishment has been a topic of debate in America since the 17th century. Although many abiding citizens oppose the death penalty, there are many ways for them to feel this way. However, there are also various supporting reasons for 38 states to consider Capital Punishment as very effective. Some of the pros involved in this long-fought debate are justice, closure for victims’ families, cost of inmates, deterrence, and punishment that is equal to the crime which was committed. In opposition, some of the cons are cost of execution, humanity, morality, religion, and unnecessary pain for the family of the executed prisoner.…

    • 1139 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Capital Punishment Controversy: The Death Penalty Debate
    • 698 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Capital Punishment Controversy: The Death Penalty Debate

    There are few policies that produce as much debate, controversy and emotion in this country as the death penalty. Capital punishment has been around in this country since colonial times when people were killed for practicing witchcraft and today the death penalty is legal in 31 states. Since 1976, 1414 people have been executed in the U.S. (deathpenaltyinfo.org). People who favor capital punishment believe that if someone brutally take's another person's life then they should lose their own right to life. However, in taking a closer look at the death penalty, there are many problems associated with it such as that is is morally wrong, the botching of executions, the execution of innocent people, and the fact that it is a flawed system…

    • 698 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Texas Death Penalty
    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Texas Death Penalty

    The death penalty has been and will always be one of the most controversial topics in life, with opposing sides for and against, the death penalty is still obscure to many. The official definition of death penalty is execution of an offender being sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law of criminal offense. The terms capital punishment and death penalty are frequently used to mean the same thing, though some believe there is a small difference between the terms. Death penalty is referring to the penalty received while capital punishment is referring to merely the execution. Around the world, death penalty has been exercised thousands of times throughout many centuries, the first execution in America occurred in…

    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Capital Punishment Is Wrong Essay
    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Capital Punishment Is Wrong Essay

    Capital punishment is an issue that has been used to handle severe crimes in nearly every country either now or in the past. Even though I understand both sides of capital punishment, I can not morally say that it's good. Though many say that the death penalty is the only way to go , it can not be justified because it is not morally correct to punish people with death.…

    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Is the Death Penalty Applied Fairly?
    • 1215 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Is the Death Penalty Applied Fairly?

    Capital punishment has been used around the world for many thousands of years as a way of enforcing justice when someone has done wrong by what standards that the cultures have. Over the past few centuries capital punishment has started to be questioned by many people in Europe and in the United States. Many people who support the death penalty cite reasons such as deterrence and not wanting to spend money a person who will never be a productive member of society again. Many who are in opposition to the death penalty say that the death penalty is killing innocent people and is actually not saving any money at all and that it is in fact costing too much and that it is wrong to simply kill someone who commits a crime. There are also questions to the fairness of the death penalty and many who question if it is being applied fairly. Both sides of the debate over the morality and legitimacy of capital punishment will be presented in this paper with this author taking one side. While the thought of having someone put to death is not something that anyone would like, the death penalty is the only way for ultimate justice to be administered for victims provided that it is fairly administered.…

    • 1215 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics