• TheMadFool
    13.8k
    Maajid Nawaz

    Too, one of the aims of judicial punishment short of execution is to give criminals an opportunity to see the error of their ways and reform.
  • god must be atheist
    5.1k
    You call them as you see them based on what?synthesis

    On what I see.
  • synthesis
    933
    On what I see.god must be atheist

    Judgments are influenced by prevailing moral standards, no?.
  • DingoJones
    2.8k
    What if a vicious serial killer tripped on his way back from his most recent depravity and incurred a serious head injury. He is found and taken to the hospital where he lays in a coma for several months. When he awakes he has no memory of his past deeds. He recovers and spends the remainder of his life helping the poor and downtrodden. If evidence arises linking him to the crimes he committed should he be prosecuted.Steve Leard

    I think it depends on the nature of the head injury. If it’s only memory loss then I would say they are still morally responsible but there is lots of data now where brain injury can drastically alter someones personality. If the head i jury has done this to such a degree that the person cannot reasonably considered the same person then it becomes less clear what moral responsibility the person has for the actions of what is essentially another person.
  • T Clark
    13k
    there is no effective treatment for psychopathic personalities.Bitter Crank

    Elect them president.
  • Steve Leard
    31
    Thanks for that T Clark.. First chuckle today and its been a long day.
  • fishfry
    2.7k
    What if a vicious serial killer tripped on his way back from his most recent depravity and incurred a serious head injury. He is found and taken to the hospital where he lays in a coma for several months. When he awakes he has no memory of his past deeds. He recovers and spends the remainder of his life helping the poor and downtrodden. If evidence arises linking him to the crimes he committed should he be prosecuted.Steve Leard

    None other than Bill Clinton personally executed a guy just like that. Ricky Ray Rector shot a cop in Arkansas then put the gun to his own head and fired. He didn't die, but he lost enough brain function to have no memory of knowledge of what he had done. During the 1992 presidential campaign, Clinton didn't want to appear "soft on crime" so as governor of the state he insisted that Rector be executed. Clinton personally flew back to Arkansas from the campaign trail to witness the execution. Rector had so little mental function that he saved half of his last meal "to eat later."

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Ray_Rector
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