The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is a legal procedure in which a state executes a person for crimes committed. Many states have adopted this punishment, which is usually reserved for the most heinous crimes, such as murder. It is also used for crimes against the state like treason, crimes against humanity, espionage, and violent crimes, and it is utilized in military justice in several countries. People have diverse feelings towards capital punishment depending on one’s beliefs and where one is from. In my opinion, the death penalty is unjust and inhumane since it deprives a person of their right to live. The death sentence is considered to provide a negative perspective on public opinion. From the perspective of the theory of Virtue Ethics, we should look at a person aside from their action (Coren, 2021). The theory states that the act should be evaluated aside from the person who did this act. As such, there is no point in punishing a person. Thus, the Virtue Ethics theory would argue for the abolishment of the death penalty. People in society are taught that human life has no value and that anyone who commits a horrific act such as murder deserves to die. This sends a negative message to society since people should be taught to respect one another’s lives and that everyone has the right to live. A humane community does not kill or condone the killing of their fellow humans, and capital punishment is a violent homicide that teaches society the permissibility of killing to address social problems, which is a terrible indicator. As a result, the death penalty should not be permitted since it sets a bad example for people and goes against the Virtue Ethics theory.
Reference
Coren, D. (2021). On the practicality of Virtue Ethics. The Journal of Value Inquiry. Web.