Question 1

Which of the following is a premise in the Argument from Just Deserts?

Accepted Answer

A)  If murderers deserve to die, then the state must execute them. 
B)  The state should execute murderers. 
C)  The state should not execute murderers. 
D)  If the state executes murderers, then murderers must deserve to die. 
A)  If murderers deserve to die, then the state must execute them. 
B)  The state should execute murderers. 
C)  The state should not execute murderers. 
D)  If the state executes murderers, then murderers must deserve to die.

Question 2

Reiman thinks that van den Haag's reliance on common sense in evaluating the deterrence impact of the death penalty

Accepted Answer

A)  is an instance of good reasoning. 
B)  leads him to the correct conclusion. 
C)  is justified because the stakes are low. 
D)  None of the above 
A)  is an instance of good reasoning. 
B)  leads him to the correct conclusion. 
C)  is justified because the stakes are low. 
D)  None of the above

Question 3

Reiman believes that the death penalty could be justified if

Accepted Answer

A)  it was only given to convicted torturers. 
B)  the murderer were not scared of life in prison. 
C)  the murderer really deserved it. 
D)  it was necessary to avoid even worse consequences. 
A)  it was only given to convicted torturers. 
B)  the murderer were not scared of life in prison. 
C)  the murderer really deserved it. 
D)  it was necessary to avoid even worse consequences.

Question 4

Reiman claims van den Haag faces a dilemma between which pair of options?

Accepted Answer

A)  Either we should impose the death penalty, or we should torture murderers to death. 
B)  Either we should not impose the death penalty, or we should not torture murderers to death. 
C)  Either we should impose the death penalty, or we should not torture murderers to death. 
D)  Either we should not impose the death penalty, or we should torture murderers to death. 
A)  Either we should impose the death penalty, or we should torture murderers to death. 
B)  Either we should not impose the death penalty, or we should not torture murderers to death. 
C)  Either we should impose the death penalty, or we should not torture murderers to death. 
D)  Either we should not impose the death penalty, or we should torture murderers to death.

Question 5

Which of the following does van den Haag suspect is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  We have proof of the positive deterrent effect of the death penalty. 
B)  The deterrent effect of penalties increases with their severity. 
C)  We have proof that the death penalty does not deter potential murderers. 
D)  A six-year prison term has the same deterrent effect as a three-year prison term. 
A)  We have proof of the positive deterrent effect of the death penalty. 
B)  The deterrent effect of penalties increases with their severity. 
C)  We have proof that the death penalty does not deter potential murderers. 
D)  A six-year prison term has the same deterrent effect as a three-year prison term.

Question 6

Which argument hinges on the truth of an extreme form of pacifism?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Argument from Discrimination 
B)  The Killing Innocents Argument 
C)  The Absolutist Argument 
D)  The Basic Deterrence Argument 
A)  The Argument from Discrimination 
B)  The Killing Innocents Argument 
C)  The Absolutist Argument 
D)  The Basic Deterrence Argument

Question 7

Nathanson claims that the principle of lex talionis would give us no guidance in devising a punishment for which crime?

Accepted Answer

A)  Murder 
B)  Assault 
C)  Robbery 
D)  Drunk driving 
A)  Murder 
B)  Assault 
C)  Robbery 
D)  Drunk driving

Question 8

Many people claim that the death penalty is intrinsically immoral, either because they believe killing is always wrong or because they believe it is hypocritical to execute people for committing murder. How does Primoratz respond to these objections? Do you think his responses are adequate? Defend your answer.

Accepted Answer

Primoratz responds to these objections b

Question 9

Talk about:
-Lex talionis

Accepted Answer

literally, the law of retaliat

Question 10

Talk about:
-Just deserts

Accepted Answer

what a per

Question 11

Which of the following is inconsistent with Nathanson's proportional retributivism?

Accepted Answer

A)  Punishing an innocent person to prevent a riot 
B)  Executing a murderer 
C)  Abolishing the death penalty 
D)  None of the above 
A)  Punishing an innocent person to prevent a riot 
B)  Executing a murderer 
C)  Abolishing the death penalty 
D)  None of the above

Question 12

According to Nathanson, when someone commits murder, they

Accepted Answer

A)  give up all of their rights. 
B)  give up some, but not all, of their rights. 
C)  do not thereby give up any rights. 
D)  deserve to die. 
A)  give up all of their rights. 
B)  give up some, but not all, of their rights. 
C)  do not thereby give up any rights. 
D)  deserve to die.

Question 13

Van den Haag claims that in implementing the death penalty, we must risk something certain for something uncertain. What is the uncertain thing?

Accepted Answer

A)  The possibility of justice for the convicted murderer 
B)  The possibility of justice for potential future victims of murder 
C)  The life or death of the convicted murderer 
D)  The life or death of potential victims of murder 
A)  The possibility of justice for the convicted murderer 
B)  The possibility of justice for potential future victims of murder 
C)  The life or death of the convicted murderer 
D)  The life or death of potential victims of murder

Question 14

Van den Haag claims that we are risking lives

Accepted Answer

A)  whether we impose the death penalty or not. 
B)  only if we do not impose the death penalty. 
C)  only if we impose the death penalty. 
D)  None of the above 
A)  whether we impose the death penalty or not. 
B)  only if we do not impose the death penalty. 
C)  only if we impose the death penalty. 
D)  None of the above

Question 15

Talk about:
-Special deterrence

Accepted Answer

Using the threat of

Question 16

Van den Haag claims that "we have no right to risk additional future victims of murder for the sake of sparing convicted murderers; on the contrary, our moral obligation is to risk the possible ineffectiveness of execution." Write an essay that critically evaluates this claim.

Accepted Answer

Van den Haag's claim that we have no rig

Question 17

Case Study
Simon grew up poor and with little adult care in South Central Los Angeles. He was jumped into a street gang when he was 15 years old. When he was 18, some older gang members demanded that he kill a shopkeeper who had witnessed them committing a serious crime. The shopkeeper was a father of four and a beloved community leader. Simon planned and carried out the brutal murder. A security camera caught the heinous crime. Sam was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to death.
For the past 25 years, Simon has been on death row. In that time, he sought spiritual counsel from the prison chaplain and repented for his crime. He committed himself to a life of prayer and service. Simon took advantage of a prison seminary program and became ordained. Since then, he has been ministering to fellow inmates in need of counsel. Simon has read a great deal during his time on death row, and this inspired him to write a memoir about his life and his crime that he hopes might help promote positive change in communities like the one he grew up in.
-On what theories of capital punishment should Simon be executed? On which theories should his life be spared?

Accepted Answer

There are several theories of capital pu

Question 18

Explain the retributive theory and contrast it with other theories of punishment. What are some of the retributive theory's advantages? What are some of its disadvantages? Ultimately, what theory of punishment strikes you as most plausible? Why?

Accepted Answer

The retributive theory of punishment is

Question 19

Which of the following does Reiman claim?

Accepted Answer

A)  The deterrence effect from not executing people may balance out the possible deterrence effect from executing people that van den Haag argued for. 
B)  The question of potential deterrence is irrelevant to the question of whether the death penalty should be implemented. 
C)  Van den Haag is right that the greatest possible deterrence would result from implementing the death penalty. 
D)  Van den Haag is wrong that the death penalty would deter anyone from committing murder. 
A)  The deterrence effect from not executing people may balance out the possible deterrence effect from executing people that van den Haag argued for. 
B)  The question of potential deterrence is irrelevant to the question of whether the death penalty should be implemented. 
C)  Van den Haag is right that the greatest possible deterrence would result from implementing the death penalty. 
D)  Van den Haag is wrong that the death penalty would deter anyone from committing murder.

Question 20

Which theory of punishment is not supported on consequentialist grounds?

Accepted Answer

A)  Deterrence 
B)  Retributivism 
C)  Rehabilitation 
D)  None of the above (None of these are supported on consequentialist grounds.) 
A)  Deterrence 
B)  Retributivism 
C)  Rehabilitation 
D)  None of the above (None of these are supported on consequentialist grounds.)

Exam 20: The Death Penalty

Which of the following is a premise in the Argument from Just Deserts?

Reiman thinks that van den Haag's reliance on common sense in evaluating the deterrence impact of the death penalty

Reiman believes that the death penalty could be justified if

Reiman claims van den Haag faces a dilemma between which pair of options?

Which of the following does van den Haag suspect is true?

Which argument hinges on the truth of an extreme form of pacifism?

Nathanson claims that the principle of lex talionis would give us no guidance in devising a punishment for which crime?

Talk about: -Lex talionis

Talk about: -Just deserts

Which of the following is inconsistent with Nathanson's proportional retributivism?

According to Nathanson, when someone commits murder, they

Van den Haag claims that in implementing the death penalty, we must risk something certain for something uncertain. What is the uncertain thing?

Van den Haag claims that we are risking lives

Talk about: -Special deterrence

Van den Haag claims that "we have no right to risk additional future victims of murder for the sake of sparing convicted murderers; on the contrary, our moral obligation is to risk the possible ineffectiveness of execution." Write an essay that critically evaluates this claim.

Explain the retributive theory and contrast it with other theories of punishment. What are some of the retributive theory's advantages? What are some of its disadvantages? Ultimately, what theory of punishment strikes you as most plausible? Why?

Which of the following does Reiman claim?

Which theory of punishment is not supported on consequentialist grounds?

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