In This Selection Bedau First Draws an Analogy Between Self-Defense

question 11

True/False

In this selection Bedau first draws an analogy between self-defense and the death penalty. Just as in defending ourselves we are to use no more force than is necessary to prevent harm, so in punishing criminals we are to use no more violence than is necessary to adequately punish the criminal. Bedau then argues that neither the deterrence nor the retributive argument for capital punishment is a good argument. He thinks that the literal application of the lex talionis is barbaric and that long-term imprisonment is adequate punishment.
-Bedau says that the principle that the punishment of death best fits the crime of murder turns out to be extremely difficult to interpret and apply.

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Total Revenue

The total amount of money received by a company for goods sold or services provided during a specific period.

Maximize Profits

The process of making the highest possible profit from business operations.

Relatively Inelastic

Describes a situation where the demand or supply of a good or service changes minimally in response to changes in price.

Marginal Cost Curve

A graphical representation that shows how the cost of producing one additional unit of a good changes as production volume increases.