PHIL 307 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Retributive Justice, Consequentialism, John Stuart Mill
Document Summary
Read articles and take your best shot at the issue. Take an essay as a jumping off point and write something critical about them. It"s not terrible to make assumptions because we all have to, but make people aware of what the assumptions are. There needs to be a part in the paper where (after you have deployed your argument) you mention what arguments against your views would be. Say them in the clearest possible statement and then say why they don"t work. The reading that he thinks is most exemplary in this regard is the reading by john stuart mill. Morris gives a backwards looking argument on punishment. When a person does not carry the burden of obedience, they must be punished to restore the balance / remain fair. Punishment is only justified if a person has broken the law. For this to work, there has to be a legal system.