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Victim Impact Statements and Restorative Justice in a Retributivist World

Victim Impact Statements and Restorative Justice in a Retributivist World This is my term paper for a seminar on punishment and retribution.  The seminar was the highlight of my MA program.  Before reading, it will probably be helpful to go over the key concepts: Key Concepts:Victim Impact Statements (VIS):  In a criminal trial,  most states  permit victims […]

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Mercy, Revenge, Victims’ Rights, and Restorative Justice

Mercy, Revenge, Victims’ Rights, and Restorative JusticePreamble:This is my proto-term paper for what has been a life-changing seminar I took this semester on retribution and punishment.  The paper needs to be ‘academicized’ (sources cited, address objections in the literature, given a half-coherent organizational structure, etc..) but I wanted to get my thoughts out first.  Also, […]

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Sidgwick on Philosophical Moral Intuitions

Sidgwick on Philosophical Intuitions (Book 3, Ch. 13)IntroYo, check it.  Weez gonna learn about Sidgwick’s philosophical intuitions.  Sidgwick (aka Jesus–in my opinion) had this idea that moral truths can be found in the “Common Sense” morality of the everyman.  Well, not exactly.  More precisely, he thought that if one could systematically analyze the common sense […]

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Mill’s Utilitarianism Part 3: Proof of the Principle of Utilitarianism

Mill’s Utilitarianism, Chapter IV:  Of What Sort of Proof the Principle of Utility is Susceptible Note: For criticisms of Mill’s Proof see my later posts “Sidgwick’s Criticisms of Mill’s Proof” and “Moore’s Criticisms of Mill’s Proof” Favorite Quote: “…[Virtue] may be felt a good in itself, and desired as such with as great intensity as any other […]

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Mill’s Utilitarianism Part 2: Mill’s Argument for the Ultimate Sanction (What Can Compel Us to Consider General Happiness when We Act? )

Yo check it.  Weez about to learn about why (Mill thinks) we should be compelled to adopt and adhere to utilitarianism as the ultimate moral standard.  That is, why does a utilitarian ethic have binding force? Overview and RecapOk, so…like…’member utilitarianism?  It’s the idear that the moral goodness of an action is proportional to the […]

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Mill’s Utilitarianism Part 1: John Stuart Mill’s Argument for Qualitative Hedonism

Updayt:Hey er’body…I’m baaack!  Before we get down to biniz and talk about Mill an’ stuff here’s a brief updayt.  First, my sincerest apologies to the throngs of my adoring fans that had to go the whole summer without reading a new post, but I needed a break.  Also, I was studying for the state and […]

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