Kant and the Morality of Anger Essay example -- Philosophy Papers

Kant and the Morality of Anger Introduction This essay does non comprise a defence of retributive punishment, neither does it imply a rejection of deterrent punishment. The writer suggests that one possible reason for the tendency to advocate punishment of offenders with ever change magnitude severity can be discovered in the concept of the morality of anger. It is this explanation of the phenomenon that forms the principal burden of the arguments used in this essay. The salient characteristics of the two theories of punishment, which find demeanor in English law, will be found below 1. In the absence of any definitive public policy an unresolved tension exists, which derives from attempts make to reconcile the two theories, with some degree of balance, in sentencing practice. Actual sentences in the English courts are often a compromise between the demands of retribution and deterrence. either uncertainty that may exist about which theory is being used, in particular circumstanc es, leads to actions which cannot be completely justified by either theory 2. shame and Punishment in Kants Civil Society According to Kants moral theory an exacting principle of respect for humanity, in the form of the person, can be accommodate with the absolute necessity of punishment, because punishment, within a properly constituted civil society, is a legitimate and necessary response to crime punishment must accept with the moral law as a categorical imperative 3. Kants theory of retributive punishment is of particular importance, because it is one of the most coherent and consistent of the retributive theories, and has not lost its relevance in contemporary discussions 4. Kants civil society rest securely on th... ...Foundation Course The Open University 1986, Units 13-15 pp. 68-76 Feinberg, Joel Harmless Wrong Doing, The Moral Limits of the evil Law Oxford 1988, pp. 159-165 Guyer, Paul (Ed.) The Cambridge Companion to Kant Cambridge 1992, Essay 10, Autonomy, obligatio n and virtue An overview of Kants moral philosophy, pp.309-341, also Essay 11, Politics, freedom and order Kants political philosophy,, pp.342-366 Hoffe, Otfried Immanuel Kant New York 1994 Honderich, T Punishment, The mantic Justifications Oxford 1989, pp. 208-237 Paton, H J The Categorical Imperative London 1947 Rawls, John A Theory of Justice Oxford 1972 pp. 251-257 Singer, Peter A Companion to Ethics Oxford 1993 Essay 32, Crime and Punishment, C L Ten pp. 366-372 Sorell, Tom Moral Theory and Capital Punishment Oxford 1987 Walker, Nigel Why Punish? Oxford 1991