> While a punishment in a deterministic universe can have a deterrence effect, it might not be the morally right thing to do. I feel whether it's the morally r

> While a punishment in a deterministic universe can have a deterrence effect, it might not be the morally right thing to do. I feel whether it's the morally right thing to do depends on your ethical framework, not really whether the universe is deterministic. For instance in terms of maximizing pleasure and minimizing suffering, you'd want to punish when you estimate the suffering relieved by enacting the punishment (deterred crime, long-term precedents encouraging benevolence, etc.) outweighs the suffering caused by the punishment itself.