Nathanson Argues That "Payback" Retributivism Is Not an Adequate Account

question 998

Multiple Choice

Nathanson argues that "payback" retributivism is not an adequate account of moral desert because:

• A) It implausibly entails that extremely barbaric crimes should be punished extremely barbarically.
• B) It focuses too strongly on the actual intentions, motives, and circumstances of the criminal.
• C) It entails that an individual cannot deserve the death penalty for a crime other than murder.
• D) It provides a circular, question-begging justification for one's being deserving a punishment.

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Definitions:

Multidisciplinary

Involving or combining several academic disciplines or professional specializations in an approach to a topic or problem.

Frederic Jameson

An American literary critic and Marxist political theorist best known for his analysis of contemporary cultural trends and the concept of postmodernity.

Postmodern Society

A concept referring to the state or condition of society which is characterized by a complex, pluralistic, and fragmented perspective, moving beyond the principles and conventions of modernism.

Historicity

The quality of being historical; the historical development and context of an event, idea, or entity.