- #1
Dissident Dan
- 238
- 2
We often take delight in the sufferings of others when we have grudges against them or we thing that they have done something to "deserve" it. But is this really ethical, and is it logical?
Can a person really deserve to have something unpleasant done to him/her?
To a materialistic, I think that the answer should be "No," because a person's actions are inevitably the result of physical forces.
And for nonmaterialists, you must still ask why another person should suffer pain because of what he/she's done. Remember that deserving is the claim, and must be backed up, not the other way around. The default state would be a lack. To make a judgment, such as saying that some one deserves something, you must make the link.
I would also like to add that I think that punishment has a place in societies where it has useful effects, such as changing the perpetraitor's behavior and serving as a deterrent. But this is different from saying that someone "deserves" punishment.
Can a person really deserve to have something unpleasant done to him/her?
To a materialistic, I think that the answer should be "No," because a person's actions are inevitably the result of physical forces.
And for nonmaterialists, you must still ask why another person should suffer pain because of what he/she's done. Remember that deserving is the claim, and must be backed up, not the other way around. The default state would be a lack. To make a judgment, such as saying that some one deserves something, you must make the link.
I would also like to add that I think that punishment has a place in societies where it has useful effects, such as changing the perpetraitor's behavior and serving as a deterrent. But this is different from saying that someone "deserves" punishment.