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Issues of Human Life and Death

Capital Punishment and the Three Theories

  • 4 things to know
  • Component 1

Overview

Recall questions on Aquinas's natural moral law justification and how that position has evolved, why double effect is not applied, and the proportionalist, situationist and virtue ethics assessments.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is the natural moral law position on capital punishment?

Key term

How would proportionalism assess capital punishment?

Key term

What virtues does virtue ethics examine when evaluating capital punishment?

Key term

What would Aristotelian virtue ethics consider about capital punishment and society?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is the natural moral law position on capital punishment?

    Model answer

    It can support capital punishment as a means of protecting society and upholding justice, though some natural law thinkers argue it violates the precept to preserve life.

  2. 2

    How did Aquinas justify capital punishment under natural moral law?

    Model answer

    He argued that a criminal who threatens the common good may be removed like a diseased limb from the body.

  3. 3

    How does situation ethics evaluate capital punishment?

    Model answer

    Case by case, potentially permitting it if it is the most loving outcome for society but opposing it if more loving alternatives exist.

  4. 4

    What virtues and vices does virtue ethics consider when evaluating capital punishment?

    Model answer

    Whether it cultivates virtues such as justice and protection of the innocent or vices such as vengeance and cruelty.

  5. 5

    What is natural moral law's position on capital punishment, and how has it evolved?

    Model answer

    Aquinas permitted it as the state acting to protect the common good, though modern natural law thinkers often argue it is no longer necessary.

  6. 6

    Why is the principle of double effect not typically applied to capital punishment?

    Model answer

    Because the death of the criminal is the intended means, not an unintended side effect.

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