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Kant and Mills on Capital Punishment
Capital punishment has raised debate in America since 1608. Both the “pro-“ and “anti-“ sides of the issue have strong arguments. Some believe killing is simply wrong, and violates universal human rights, others seek the only justice they deem appropriate, equal justice. I will examine the philosophies of Immanuel Kant, and John Stuart Mill, with regards to their stance on the death penalty.
John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806- 8 May 1873) was born in London, England. He was a renowned philosopher best known for his interpretation of utilitarianism, an ethical theory developed by Jeremy Bentham. Utilitarianism is based on the concept that an actions morality should be judged solely upon its resulting universal happiness. Under utilitarianism one should act only in a way that would promote the most good for the most people.
Utilitarian’s view suffering as intrinsically bad, and only when the amount of suffering is outweighed by the......

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Approximate Word Count: 1595
Approximate Pages: 7 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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