W5 Q - Primoratz and the Death Penalty

Question 1

Retributivism is the view that the harshness of a punishment should be based on

Answer 1

what the criminal deserves.

Question 2

Primoratz claims that the death penalty is the only penalty that is

Answer 2

proportional to murder.

Question 3

Some claim that capitol punishment is contradictory. Primoratz claims that the punishment

Answer 3

• Begs the question
• Applies equally to other punishments

Question 4

In response to the objection that there is a chance that innocent people may be executed, Primoratz

Answer 4

admits this, but claims that it would still be unjust to abolish capitol punishment.

Question 5

According to Primoratz, a murderer cannot claim the right to life for herself because

Answer 5

she has denied another person that very right.

Question 6

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

Answer 6

• The objection proves too much - if successful, we should do away with many other penalties as well.
• It is not an objection to the death penalty, but an objection to our application of it.

Question 7

According to Primoratz, what is the greater injustice than mistakenly sentencing an innocent person to death?

Answer 7

Systemically failing to give murderers what they deserve.

Question 8

According to Primoratz, a punishment is proportional only if it

Answer 8

deprives the wrongdoer of the same amount of value as that which he deprived his victim of.

Question 9

Why doesn’t Primoratz think that the death penalty violates the criminals right to life?

Answer 9

He believes in the right to life but claims that it is not absolute.

Question 10

How does Primoratz respond to the objection that executing a young person is not proportional to the murder of an elderly person?

Answer 10

He asserts that we should treat all lives as equally valuable.