Vanilla Argument of the Week: Capital Punishment (Updated 10/5/2017)

Update (10/5/2017):



For those interested in the argument I have added a link to the book, as well as a link to Prof. Feser’s blog. Here he lists a number of his blog posts on the topic of capital punishment. Enjoy.

Original (9/25/2017):


The following is an argument for capital punishment directly from By Man Shall His Blood Be Shed: A Catholic Defense of Capital Punishment, written by Professors Edward Feser and Joseph Bessette. 

1.      Wrongdoers deserve punishment.

2.      The graver the wrongdoing, the severer is the punishment deserved.

3.      Some crimes are so grave that no punishment less than death would be proportionate in its severity.

4.      Therefore, wrongdoers guilty of such crimes deserve death.

5.      Public authorities have the right, in principle, to inflict on wrongdoers the punishments they deserve.

6.      Therefore, public authorities have the right, in principle, to inflict the death penalty on those guilty of the gravest offense.