Ethics of Capital Punishment

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Contents
* Introduction ………………………………………………………………………… 3
* The Metaethical Theories ………………………………………………………....... 3
* Capital Punishment ………………………………………………………………… 7
* Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………. 10
* Bibliography ……………………………………………………………………….. 11
Introduction
A long ongoing issue surrounds the implementation of capital punishment as part of the nation's justice system. There are groups of people that find capital punishment as an ideal system that will give justice to the victims of heinous crimes, while there is also a large portion of the population who believes that this does not have any positive result and only adds salt to the wound. There are supporters on both ends of the spectrum, each with their reasons and perspectives fuel their views regarding capital punishment. In line with these contradicting beliefs regarding capital punishment, this paper aims to discuss and apply the natural law theory versus Christian ethics' divine command theory to prove that the human population should oppose the implementation of capital punishment. Capital punishment should be abolished because it deprives an individual of their innate r
ight to live, reduces the value of human life, and promotes retribution and brutality in society.
Metaethical Theories
The Natural Law Theory
The natural law theory is supportive of the nature of man, and these are the natural law of survival and procreation. This theory touches on defining what is moral and ethical from what is not by how an act is also in conformity with these basic concepts of survival and procreation. Some other actions that are exhibiting the natural law theory aside from procreation and survival are man's nature to sleep, feed, and drink. In addition to this theory being supportive of human nature, another important key concept is the use of human rationality.[Geis, Sarah, and Ben R. Crenshaw. "Why Divine Command Theory Needs Natural Law." (2018).]
This theory heavily celebrates the rational minds of human beings having the ability to act according to the laws of nature that aim to protect the right to life, survival, and health of the human species. There is also the involvement of discerning whether an act is morally good and acceptable based on the motivation ...