CAPITAL PUNISHMENT! (Just for Kahl)

[Zhukov]

Originally Posted by kahljorn

I'm not sure what you mean by this. That I'm not saying much about why its wrong to kill people, or that you don't understand my point there and that I am only saying its wrong to kill a person.
My point is that, no matter how much you can justify an action, it is never right to kill a person. The actual act of killing the person cannot be good, regardless of whatever goods are achieved. Even if you traveled back in time and killed hitler, despite all the goods it would accomplish: the actual killing of hitler would be wrong.

If you meant the first part let me know and I'll give you some actual reasons for why it's always wrong to act with the intent to kill

I mean the first. WHY is it wrong to kill? I mean, I know why; ending someone's life is a very drastic action and should not be taken lightly at all, etc... but how can it always be the wrong choice, especially when there are so many variables?

If by less wrong you mean equally as wrong. In this circumstance, either way, somebody was likely to die or get seriously injured, so as far as wrongness goes it is equal. The thing that makes it partially "Good" is that you were protecting yourself from serious injury.



I do know where you are coming from, killing is wrong, but my point is that sometimes it is less wrong than the alternative.

No, that was just one example, obviously there are many different things to think about before you declare war on someone. Plus, in this case, the neighbour has justified the exterminating of the other guys without a thought going into "less deaths", since exterminating people always involves more deaths than not exterminating people.

Not really. You're thinking that I say "convince yourself!" and then "convince others!", but to know if something is right then you always have to find out other people's opinions. Thinking of others is a pretty major step in an adult being just and doing what's right. What's best for other people should be a major part of convincing yourself. Yes, I am well aware I said "should be".

Well, that's why you have to debate about these things. You can't "justify anything", but you can try. Also, this is all just speculation and brain exercisies. I don't expect people to think like I do.



Your view of morality is confusing at best. In a sense, honestly, I agree with doing what you think is right, even if it means killing somebody. But people aren't going to agree with you universally about it, and you're not going to have any ability to know the universal opinion on an act.

Shit just look at the capital punishment debate. Tons of people want it, tons of people don't. So what do you do?

I would say fuck what other people think and do what you think is right, but you're telling me it needs to be right in the eyes of others and have universal consent but at the same time i should do what i want personal morality.

and how does all of this fit into capital punishment anyway? We should what pick one dude in america and let him use his personal morality to decide if the guy should live or die? of course according to what everybody else in the world thinks.