Free Will, Punishment, and Accountability
A visual map of how reasoning about the causes of criminal activity, the origins of one's character, and the nature of responsibility necessarily lead us away from retributive punishment and toward accountability, rehabilitation, and protection of society.
This map corresponds to the essays Why Is Compassion Rational? and Why the Will Is Not Free.
This map does not claim that harmful actions should be ignored. Rather, it separates accountability from retribution. People can still be required to answer for harm, make amends, be restrained when dangerous, and receive rehabilitation, without treating suffering itself as the goal.
Want to ask a question, or challenge an axiom/implication/conclusion? Visit the discussion page.