Question 1

Talk about:
-Capital offenses

Accepted Answer

those crimes that carry the death penalty as a possible punishment.

Question 2

Primoratz claims that the death penalty is the only penalty that is

Accepted Answer

A)  an effective deterrent to murder. 
B)  proportional to murder. 
C)  cost-effective when it comes to punishing murderers. 
D)  All of the above 
A)  an effective deterrent to murder. 
B)  proportional to murder. 
C)  cost-effective when it comes to punishing murderers. 
D)  All of the above B

Question 3

When should the state give people what they deserve? Can you identify a principle that answers this question? In light of your answer, evaluate the Argument from Just Deserts.

Accepted Answer

A good essay will:
$\bullet$Take a position on when the state should give people what they deserve
$\bullet$Identify a principle that justifies the above position
$\bullet$ Explain the Argument from Just Deserts
$\bullet$ Evaluate the Argument from Just Deserts in light of that principle

Question 4

According to Nathanson, what is "human desert?"

Accepted Answer

A)  What someone deserves in virtue of what they have done 
B)  What someone deserves in virtue of their character 
C)  What someone deserves in virtue of their humanity itself 
D)  All of the above 
A)  What someone deserves in virtue of what they have done 
B)  What someone deserves in virtue of their character 
C)  What someone deserves in virtue of their humanity itself 
D)  All of the above

Question 5

Reiman argues that van den Haag's line of reasoning leads to the conclusion that we should institute

Accepted Answer

A)  the death penalty for lesser crimes than murder. 
B)  death-by-torture. 
C)  the death penalty only for people who are afraid of death. 
D)  the death penalty at random. 
A)  the death penalty for lesser crimes than murder. 
B)  death-by-torture. 
C)  the death penalty only for people who are afraid of death. 
D)  the death penalty at random.

Question 6

Which of the following is a problem with the claim that if a person deserves X, then justice demands that they get X?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is possible that capital punishment increases, rather than decreases, the murder rate. 
B)  Giving people the punishment they deserve sometimes has to take a backseat to other moral concerns. 
C)  Giving people what they deserve often requires us to expend resources that could be spent meeting other social needs. 
D)  All of the above 
A)  It is possible that capital punishment increases, rather than decreases, the murder rate. 
B)  Giving people the punishment they deserve sometimes has to take a backseat to other moral concerns. 
C)  Giving people what they deserve often requires us to expend resources that could be spent meeting other social needs. 
D)  All of the above

Question 7

Is the fact that the death penalty is implemented in a discriminatory way be reason enough to show that we should abolish it? Should any policy that is implemented in a discriminatory way be abolished? How much injustice can an institution or practice have before it becomes too corrupt to be permissible? Explain your answers by using an example of another policy that is discriminatory in practice.

Accepted Answer

The fact that the death penalty is imple

Question 8

According to Primoratz, why can a murderer not claim a right to life for themselves?

Accepted Answer

A)  They have denied another person that very right. 
B)  They have done something immoral and hence have no rights. 
C)  Only another person can claim such a right for them. 
D)  There's no such thing as rights. 
A)  They have denied another person that very right. 
B)  They have done something immoral and hence have no rights. 
C)  Only another person can claim such a right for them. 
D)  There's no such thing as rights.

Question 9

Which of the following is an abolitionist argument?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Argument from Just Deserts 
B)  The Basic Deterrence Argument 
C)  Both a and b 
D)  Neither a nor b 
A)  The Argument from Just Deserts 
B)  The Basic Deterrence Argument 
C)  Both a and b 
D)  Neither a nor b

Question 10

Talk about:
-Capital punishment

Accepted Answer

The answer of Talk about:
-Capital punishment...

Question 11

Nathanson claims that abolishing the death penalty would

Accepted Answer

A)  be inconsistent with proportional retributivism. 
B)  be inconsistent with lex talionis. 
C)  remove a key deterrent to crime. 
D)  symbolize an unfortunate tender-heartedness. 
A)  be inconsistent with proportional retributivism. 
B)  be inconsistent with lex talionis. 
C)  remove a key deterrent to crime. 
D)  symbolize an unfortunate tender-heartedness.

Question 12

Why doesn't Primoratz think that capital punishment violates the criminal's right to life?

Accepted Answer

A)  He doesn't believe in the right to life. 
B)  He believes in the right to life but claims that it is not absolute. 
C)  He claims that by killing someone, a murderer has forfeited all their rights. 
D)  None of the above 
A)  He doesn't believe in the right to life. 
B)  He believes in the right to life but claims that it is not absolute. 
C)  He claims that by killing someone, a murderer has forfeited all their rights. 
D)  None of the above

Question 13

Considering the arguments presented in this chapter, should we maintain the status quo with regard to the death penalty? Write an essay in which you make a policy recommendation based on elements from this chapter that you find most compelling.

Accepted Answer

The arguments presented in this chapter

Question 14

Which of the following is not a reason Reiman offers to doubt van den Haag's claim that the death penalty will deter the most people?

Accepted Answer

A)  If van den Haag's argument were sound, we should torture people to death. 
B)  Refusing to implement the death penalty sends a message that may deter as many or more people. 
C)  Even if people actually fear death more than other punishments, this fear may not deter them from criminal activity because people assess risk in a crude way. 
D)  People do not fear death more than they fear the suffering of a life of imprisonment. 
A)  If van den Haag's argument were sound, we should torture people to death. 
B)  Refusing to implement the death penalty sends a message that may deter as many or more people. 
C)  Even if people actually fear death more than other punishments, this fear may not deter them from criminal activity because people assess risk in a crude way. 
D)  People do not fear death more than they fear the suffering of a life of imprisonment.

Question 15

A crucial premise in van den Haag's argument is that the deterrent effect of penalties increases with their severity. Is this claim true? What is the best way to determine if this claim is true?

Accepted Answer

The claim that the deterrent effect of p

Question 16

Retributivism is the view that the harshness of a punishment should be based on

Accepted Answer

A)  what the criminal deserves. 
B)  the consequences of carrying out the punishment. 
C)  the costs of carrying out the punishment. 
D)  All of the above 
A)  what the criminal deserves. 
B)  the consequences of carrying out the punishment. 
C)  the costs of carrying out the punishment. 
D)  All of the above

Question 17

Explain the four objections to van den Haag's view about the death penalty's deterrence prospects. Do you think van den Haag could successfully defend his view against these objections? If so, how? If not, why not?

Accepted Answer

Van den Haag's view on the death penalty

Question 18

Lex talionis is fatally flawed because it

Accepted Answer

A)  cannot tell us what many criminals deserve. 
B)  does not deliver severe enough punishments for serious crimes. 
C)  helpfully distinguishes between accidental and intentional harm. 
D)  requires a murderer to understand the suffering of their victim. 
A)  cannot tell us what many criminals deserve. 
B)  does not deliver severe enough punishments for serious crimes. 
C)  helpfully distinguishes between accidental and intentional harm. 
D)  requires a murderer to understand the suffering of their victim.

Question 19

Which of the following does Reiman believe will deter people from murder?

Accepted Answer

A)  Rehabilitating murderers 
B)  Forgiving murderers 
C)  Refusing to implement the death penalty 
D)  Implementing the death penalty 
A)  Rehabilitating murderers 
B)  Forgiving murderers 
C)  Refusing to implement the death penalty 
D)  Implementing the death penalty

Question 20

What does lex talionis recommend as the appropriate punishment for torturers?

Accepted Answer

A)  The criminal should receive the death penalty. 
B)  The criminal should be rehabilitated. 
C)  The criminal should be helped to understand the pain of the victim, but not tortured. 
D)  The criminal should be tortured. 
A)  The criminal should receive the death penalty. 
B)  The criminal should be rehabilitated. 
C)  The criminal should be helped to understand the pain of the victim, but not tortured. 
D)  The criminal should be tortured.

Exam 20: The Death Penalty

Talk about: -Capital offenses

Primoratz claims that the death penalty is the only penalty that is

When should the state give people what they deserve? Can you identify a principle that answers this question? In light of your answer, evaluate the Argument from Just Deserts.

According to Nathanson, what is "human desert?"

Reiman argues that van den Haag's line of reasoning leads to the conclusion that we should institute

Which of the following is a problem with the claim that if a person deserves X, then justice demands that they get X?

According to Primoratz, why can a murderer not claim a right to life for themselves?

Which of the following is an abolitionist argument?

Talk about: -Capital punishment

Nathanson claims that abolishing the death penalty would

Why doesn't Primoratz think that capital punishment violates the criminal's right to life?

Considering the arguments presented in this chapter, should we maintain the status quo with regard to the death penalty? Write an essay in which you make a policy recommendation based on elements from this chapter that you find most compelling.

Which of the following is not a reason Reiman offers to doubt van den Haag's claim that the death penalty will deter the most people?

A crucial premise in van den Haag's argument is that the deterrent effect of penalties increases with their severity. Is this claim true? What is the best way to determine if this claim is true?

Retributivism is the view that the harshness of a punishment should be based on

Explain the four objections to van den Haag's view about the death penalty's deterrence prospects. Do you think van den Haag could successfully defend his view against these objections? If so, how? If not, why not?

Lex talionis is fatally flawed because it

Which of the following does Reiman believe will deter people from murder?

What does lex talionis recommend as the appropriate punishment for torturers?

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