:: blame the extended gestation.... ::

:: Thursday, December 18, 2003 ::

On the Hussein issue....

AnalPhilosopher:: "I submit that even if Hussein is guilty, morally speaking, and even if he is found to be guilty in a duly conducted trial in a duly empaneled court, he has a right to be treated respectfully. Whatever else he is, Saddam Hussein is a person. Persons are autonomous (self-governing) beings, capable of choosing and responsible for the choices they make. They must not be used as mere means to the ends of others. They must not be demeaned or diminished. If one chooses to violate known rules, one subjects oneself to punishment. (Kant would say that one chooses to be punished.) But one never loses the status of person throughout this process. The trial must be fair. The handling of the suspect by interrogators, bailiffs, and others must be respectful. The punishment meted out, should trial result in conviction, must be proportional to the gravity of the offense. At no point in this process may the offender be treated as less than a person."

Now philosophically I don't know about the whole "persons are autonomous (self-governing) beings"--i'm still trying to figure out where I stand philosophically in regards to human autonomy. But emotionally (since I can't claim any logic to it) these arguments seem legitimate. I have a real problem with a lot of the revenge talk that is coming from a lot of people who claim that they just want to see justice done. I don't believe in victims having any rights; victims (and I don't want to seem like I don't empathize) are the least rational and objective people when it comes to criminals and what should be done with them.

:: Jim Nichols 12/18/2003 08:22:00 PM [+] ::
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