The death penalty is a controversial topic that society has been facing for years. The total number of executions in the United States alone since 1976 is 1438 (DPCI, 2016). Ethical dilemmas will always remain whether one is for or against the death penalty. Those who are for the death penalty argue that justice needs to be served and crimes will decline. While those who are against the death penalty believe that everyone has the right to live, human life has value, and retribution is wrong. Three ethical theories can help us sort out why we feel that the death penalty is right or wrong: utilitarianism, egoism, and care ethics. Solutions or alternatives to the death penalty would be life in prison without parole or preventive programs.
The first ethical theory which one could view the death penalty is through utilitarianism. This theory proposes that the death penalty should be carried out if it produces the greatest amount of happiness for as much people as possible. Looking at it from that perspective, society would be best served by removing the criminal from society completely so that society will be safer. This will also serve as a lesson for future criminals and reduce crime rates.
Secondly, egoism is a theory that involves someone desiring something for …show more content…
(Sadler, 2011). Other aspects of this include vulnerability and empathy. Most people would agree that human life is valuable, but some even believe that the most vicious murderers should not be stripped of the value of their lives. Retribution: while justice demands that murderers be punished, literal “eye for an eye” retribution is not an acceptable means of punishment in civilized societies (Fiesser, 2015). Retribution is revenge, and the desire for revenge is too dark of a feeling. Taking the life of person who has killed someone you loved would just promote a cycle of
The first ethical theory which one could view the death penalty is through utilitarianism. This theory proposes that the death penalty should be carried out if it produces the greatest amount of happiness for as much people as possible. Looking at it from that perspective, society would be best served by removing the criminal from society completely so that society will be safer. This will also serve as a lesson for future criminals and reduce crime rates.
Secondly, egoism is a theory that involves someone desiring something for …show more content…
(Sadler, 2011). Other aspects of this include vulnerability and empathy. Most people would agree that human life is valuable, but some even believe that the most vicious murderers should not be stripped of the value of their lives. Retribution: while justice demands that murderers be punished, literal “eye for an eye” retribution is not an acceptable means of punishment in civilized societies (Fiesser, 2015). Retribution is revenge, and the desire for revenge is too dark of a feeling. Taking the life of person who has killed someone you loved would just promote a cycle of