freecounterpoint: The one exception

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The one exception

For us staunch opponents to the death penalty, this is really a tough one.

11 comments:

Mr roT said...: I am glad we agree here, Pepe. For me it's a no-brainer, though. The dilemma would come if someone proposed torturing this creep to death.; 8/27/2008 8:47 PM
Arelcao Akleos said...: By no means is this guy the "one exception" who deserves death, not even close.; 8/27/2008 9:15 PM
Pepe le Pew said...: Before any philosophical considerations, the main problem with the death penalty is guilt and the possible discrepancy between the verdict and the reality of guilt (eg le pull-over rouge). In this case, with the video, the testimony of the sister combined with the confession, that is a moot point.
The story is also so incredibly horrific, even mother theresa would find it challenging to find any sympathy for the guy.
I can't think of many other such instances.; 8/27/2008 9:43 PM
Pepe le Pew said...: the other frequent argument is that the perpetrator is often some simpleton with a single digit iq, barely able to understand what he has done, and arguably more deserving of assistance than punishment. In this case, the guy is just a fully conscious pervert that has no regard for human life. It seems the Mansons were in the same boat.; 8/27/2008 9:49 PM
Tecumseh said...: Glad to see that there still are still some glimmers of rationality in that pinko haze. Maybe there is some room there to warm up to cartesian logic? Hmmm... Naahhh...; 8/27/2008 10:01 PM
Pepe le Pew said...: And how would you suggest that cartesian logic be applied to capital punishment in general?; 8/27/2008 10:03 PM
Mr roT said...: We could pull the left arm in the (-1,1,0)-direction, the right arm in the (1,1,0)-direction, the left leg in the (-1,-1,0)-direction, and the right leg in the (1,-1,0)-direction.
The tension applied could increase linearly in time, and a stake could be driven in the (0,0,-1)-direction.
This is what you mean by Cartesian?; 8/27/2008 11:14 PM
Tecumseh said...: A valiant attempt, JJ, but Cartesian coordinates are not the same thing as Cartesian logic: Descartes’ thinking extended out of a pre-existing separation that was, in the European context, already well established in a major way through the Catholic church. All he did was turn it into a science, partly as a means to take over from the Church, in the same way that the bourgeoisie/merchant class, using Cartesian thinking, took over from the aristocracy and began what is now called Capitalism.; 8/27/2008 11:35 PM
Tecumseh said...: How about these guys? Would hanging by their thumbnails be fit punishment?; 8/28/2008 8:09 AM
Mr roT said...: Stalin lives; 8/28/2008 1:59 PM
Pepe le Pew said...: boys will be boys; 8/28/2008 4:17 PM