Gasp!David Quinn in Wisdom of the Infinite wrote:The question of whether or not it is "wrong" to punish criminals, given that causality is ultimately responsible for his actions, is meaningless.
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Trying to ascertain right and wrong in these kinds of matters is futile. Right and wrong are subjective judgments. They chop and change depending on a person�s fundamental values.
How can he say that right and wrong are totally subjective?
Does he not do a 180 in the next few sentences?
A far more intelligent approach would be to simply accept the obvious truth that the issue of punishment is determined by practical concerns only. Since a measure of order and social harmony is needed for the maintenance of civilized life, deterrents are needed for those who wish to behave in a mindless destructive fashion. If these deterrents were to be removed, the rule of the jungle would quickly take over and the very worst elements of the human race would soon be ruling society.
Wouldn't that mean that right and wrong behaviors are NOT subjective and based on how they affect or have the potential to affect society's order and harmony? Wouldn't that mean that there ARE ultimate rights and wrongs to be discovered?
Also on a related note, what about rehabilitation instead of "punishment"?
(sorry if I'm making too many threads I just have a lot on my mind)