Capital Punishment: Religious views and secular arguments

Question 1

Muslim views

Answer 1

• Islam permits the death penalty but it must only be used in serious cases.
• It is permitted for two types of ‘crime’:
  
  • intentional murder (family of victim can chose whether to inflict punishment)
  • threatening to undermine authority of or destabilise the state (treason, apostasy, terrorism, piracy, rape, adultery, homosexual activity)

Question 2

Buddhist view

Answer 2

• Oppose capital punishment
• first of Five Precepts is to avoid injuring or killing any living creature

Question 3

The argument from retribution

Answer 3

When someone does something wrong, they need to ‘pay back’ what they have done by being punished in a way that is proportionate to the crime. Death penalty ensures justice

Question 4

Response to the argument from retribution

Answer 4

• To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge, not justice.
• The argument is not applied consistently

Question 5

The argument from deterrence

Answer 5

(1) It is important to deter people from committing violent crimes
(2) The fear of death will deter people from committing violent crimes
Therefore (3) The death penalty is morally acceptable

Question 6

The argument against deterence

Answer 6

There is evidence that the death penalty does not deter people from committing violent crimes. Reasons why:
- often people who commit violent crimes are unable to think rationally about the consequences of their action because they are too emotional or under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- They may be hardened criminals who do not believe they will get caught

Question 7

The argument from innocence against capital punishment

Answer 7

Justice systems are not perfect and mistakes are sometimes made. However, if an innocent person is executed then there is no opportunity to free the criminal.