3 ms·
The error in your attempt at utilitarianism is to only count deaths of innocent people as meaningful. It doesn't actually matter whether someone is guilty or in
by alextgordon 11y ago
The error in your attempt at utilitarianism is to only count deaths of innocent people as meaningful. It doesn't actually matter whether someone is guilty or innocent when executed, the effect on their family will be precisely the same.
- _yosefk 11y agoPerhaps it would have been an error in my attempt at utilitarianism, if indeed it were an attempt at utilitarianism; to me however it does matter whether someone is guilty or innocent when executed, and I think it also matters to most people (attempting Rawlsianism?) objecting to my comment on the grounds of any execution of an innocent person being unacceptable. (Can I say that the error in their attempt at Rawlsianism is that they don't also oppose cars which regularly cause deaths of innocent people? I guess I can say it except for the part where I attribute opposition to cars to a philosophy that I never studied in depth.)