Write a 750 word essay. Does one who kills another "deserve" to die? Why or why not? Are there circumstances that would change your answer? Make two lists (perhaps using a table with two columns). In one column, list the circumstances in which a killer would deserve to die; in the other, list circumstances in which a killer would NOT deserve to die. Now analyze factors that set the two lists apart, such as:
- Qualities of the killer?
- Previous circumstances or actions of the victim?
- Qualities of the victim?
- Qualities of the intention behind the act?
- Features of the society in which the killing takes place?
- Calculations of the likely consequences of assigning that particular penalty to that kind of act?
• What does the exercise tell you about your tendency to rely on deontological or utilitarian reasoning? What does it tell you about your sense of the sacredness of human life?