Question 1

Write an essay critically assessing the principle of lex talionis. State the principle and describe how it could be applied to assess the morality of capital punishment. Then, present Nathanson's objections to the principle. Does Nathanson succeed in refuting the principle? Defend your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Write an essay critically assessing the principle...

Question 2

A punishment that will hurt the criminal no more than is necessary in order to get the beneficial effect of crime prevention is what kind of punishment?

Accepted Answer

A)  Efficient 
B)  Expedient 
C)  Rehabilitative 
D)  Retributivist

Question 3

Which of the following is not a response to the Argument from Discrimination discussed in this chapter?

Accepted Answer

A)  The argument builds its conclusion into one of its premises. 
B)  The argument shows that the death penalty is not morally justified in current practice, but it may be justified in principle. 
C)  There really is no systematic discrimination in today's legal system. 
D)  The fact that the death penalty is administered in a discriminatory way is not enough to show that we ought to abolish it.

Question 4

According to Primoratz, why do we treat all human lives, qua human lives, as equally valuable?

Accepted Answer

A)  The values of people's lives demonstrably are equal. 
B)  If we did not, then we would have to give up the principle of equality of people under the law. 
C)  There are no important differences between people's lives. 
D)  All of the above

Question 5

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

Question 6

Some opponents of the Argument from Just Deserts claim that if no one freely chooses to do anything, then

Accepted Answer

A)  no one can be justly punished. 
B)  no one can commit murder. 
C)  everyone can be justly punished. 
D)  murder can be justly committed.

Question 7

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.
-Should the religious deeds Simon has done during his time on death row or his devotion to social change affect his punishment? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Case Study
Simon grew up poor and with...

Question 8

Talk about:
-Aggravated murder

Accepted Answer

The answer of Talk about:
-Aggravated murder...

Question 9

How does van den Haag respond to the claim that the death penalty is different from other penalties because it is irrevocable? How do you think the fact that the death penalty is irrevocable should affect the decision about whether it is ethically permissible?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How does van den Haag respond to...

Question 10

Talk about:
-Discriminatorily

Accepted Answer

The answer of Talk about:
-Discriminatorily...

Question 11

Which of the following is a retributivist justification for the death penalty?

Accepted Answer

A)  Murderers deserve to die and we should give people what they deserve. 
B)  Murderers will become better people if we execute murderers. 
C)  Potential murderers will choose not to murder if the death penalty is in place. 
D)  Otherwise law-abiding people will benefit from the death penalty being instituted.

Question 12

Talk about:
-Abolitionists

Accepted Answer

The answer of Talk about:
-Abolitionists...

Question 13

What is the principle of proportional retributivism? Do you think that it is a plausible principle? Compare it to other theories of punishment. Does proportional retributivism give us good reason to accept or reject capital punishment? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the principle of proportional retributivism?...

Question 14

Which of the following does Primoratz offer as a response to the objection that the death penalty is applied in a discriminatory way?

Accepted Answer

A)  The death penalty has not actually been applied in a discriminatory way. 
B)  It is not an objection to the death penalty, but an objection to our application of it. 
C)  Discriminatory outcomes are not necessarily indicative of discriminatory treatment. 
D)  All of the above

Question 15

Which theory of punishment is not used to defend the death penalty?

Accepted Answer

A)  Deterrence 
B)  Retributivism 
C)  Rehabilitation 
D)  All of the above (All of these are used to defend the death penalty.)

Question 16

What is van den Haag's position about statistical evidence for the deterrent effect of the death penalty?

Accepted Answer

A)  He thinks the statistical evidence supports the absence of a deterrent effect. 
B)  He thinks the statistical evidence supports the presence of a deterrent effect. 
C)  He is skeptical that statistics could provide evidence one way or the other. 
D)  None of the above

Question 17

Which of these practices appears to be a counterexample to the claim that if we know that a social practice will result in killing innocents, then it is immoral and ought to be abolished?

Accepted Answer

A)  Manufacturing prescription drugs 
B)  Building bridges 
C)  Driving cars 
D)  All of the above

Question 18

What symbolic meaning does Nathanson think that abolishing the death penalty would have? Do you agree that getting rid of capital punishment would have this sort of meaning? Is this a good reason to abolish the death penalty? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What symbolic meaning does Nathanson think that...

Question 19

Present what you take to be the strongest objection to the moral permissibility of executing murderers. How does Primoratz respond to this objection? Or, if he doesn't respond, how should he respond? Do you think the objection is successful in showing that capital punishment is immoral? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Present what you take to be the...

Question 20

Which of the following is an objection to the Basic Deterrence Argument considered in this chapter?

Accepted Answer

A)  There is good data suggesting that potential murderers fear life in prison more than the death penalty. 
B)  We lack strong data suggesting that the death penalty is needed to deter people from crimes less severe than murder. 
C)  We lack strong reasons for thinking that the death penalty is an efficient deterrent of murder. 
D)  We have strong data suggesting that the death penalty is an efficient deterrent of murder.

Exam 20: The Death Penalty