Kant and Capital Punishment

Paper Summary:

The paper provides an overview of Kant's deontology theory and its implications. The paper then argues that Kant's theory presents indisputable support for the death penalty in our society today.

Outline:
Kant's Deontology
Kant and the Death Penalty
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"To start with: what is deontology? The word's most basic definition is etymological: the study of duty. Unlike utilitarian philosophy, which can be summed up in the rather trite and shopworn "the end justifies the means," deontology does not assign much importance to an action's consequences, focusing instead on its motives. Or, more concisely: deontology detects moral worth in motives, rather than in outcomes (McCormick 8d). The implications of this are monumental, as Kant is basically arguing that an action may lack moral worth even if its outcome is desirable and, conversely, that an action whose outcome is questionable may be considered "good." To understand these conclusions, it is important to elaborate further on Kant's ideas of categorical duty as opposed to contingent, or hypothetical, duty."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Johnson, Robert. "Kant's Moral Philosophy." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Ed: Metaphysics Research Lab, CSLI. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2004.
• Kant, Immanuel. Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997.
• McCormick, Matt. "Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) Metaphysics." The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: 2006.
• Steiker, Carol S. "No, Capital Punishment is not Morally Required: Deterrence, Deontology, and the Death Penalty." Stanford Law Review 58 (2006): 754-790.

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