Comments on: Concur: Purchasing Wrongful Behavior http://dissense.com/2009/11/concur-purchasing-wrongful-behavior/ Only the most inreasonable ideas... Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:52:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Garbanzo McArthur http://dissense.com/2009/11/concur-purchasing-wrongful-behavior/comment-page-1/#comment-20 Garbanzo McArthur Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:46:35 +0000 http://dissense.com/?p=165#comment-20 Question: "How is making choices within the parameters of a particular punishment different, in principle, from choosing between types of punishments?" (Eventual) Response: "In such a situation, there is no element of choice involved concerning the punishment itself – only with how one conducts one’s life in the sphere unaffected by the punishment." Ladies and Gentlemen, you be the judge: was the question answered? Question: “How is making choices within the parameters of a particular punishment different, in principle, from choosing between types of punishments?”

(Eventual) Response: “In such a situation, there is no element of choice involved concerning the punishment itself – only with how one conducts one’s life in the sphere unaffected by the punishment.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, you be the judge: was the question answered?

]]> By: Felix York http://dissense.com/2009/11/concur-purchasing-wrongful-behavior/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Felix York Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:50:34 +0000 http://dissense.com/?p=165#comment-13 No, just partly semantic. We can say that an individual merits a prison sentence of five years - in other words, the offender is separated from (non-prison) society for that period of time, except for occasional visitors and consultations with his lawyer within prescribed limits. In such a situation, there is no element of choice involved concerning the punishment itself - only with how one conducts one's life in the sphere unaffected by the punishment. That's where your mistake lies. No, just partly semantic. We can say that an individual merits a prison sentence of five years – in other words, the offender is separated from (non-prison) society for that period of time, except for occasional visitors and consultations with his lawyer within prescribed limits.

In such a situation, there is no element of choice involved concerning the punishment itself – only with how one conducts one’s life in the sphere unaffected by the punishment. That’s where your mistake lies.

]]> By: Garbanzo McArthur http://dissense.com/2009/11/concur-purchasing-wrongful-behavior/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Garbanzo McArthur Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:44:27 +0000 http://dissense.com/?p=165#comment-12 Felix, your response is wholly semantic: Punishment itself could be viewed as a general category of which various options - like giving blood or serving detention - are specific variations. The original question still lingers, but I'll restate it in your terms: at what level of specificity does choice of punishments become unacceptable? Felix, your response is wholly semantic: Punishment itself could be viewed as a general category of which various options – like giving blood or serving detention – are specific variations. The original question still lingers, but I’ll restate it in your terms: at what level of specificity does choice of punishments become unacceptable?

]]> By: Felix York http://dissense.com/2009/11/concur-purchasing-wrongful-behavior/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Felix York Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:23:36 +0000 http://dissense.com/?p=165#comment-9 Garbanzo, your comment deals with punishment specificity, not choice of punishment. As a practical matter, it may be impossible to utterly dictate every element of every punishment, but that is substantively different from saying that an offender may choose from several truly unique options. Garbanzo, your comment deals with punishment specificity, not choice of punishment. As a practical matter, it may be impossible to utterly dictate every element of every punishment, but that is substantively different from saying that an offender may choose from several truly unique options.

]]> By: Garbanzo McArthur http://dissense.com/2009/11/concur-purchasing-wrongful-behavior/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Garbanzo McArthur Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:09:46 +0000 http://dissense.com/?p=165#comment-7 One wonders how far Felix would carry his objection to any "election of punishments." After all, a convict has many choices about how to spend his time in prison (reading, exercising, sleeping, taking classes, etc.). Each choice that he makes in some way alters the character of his punishment. How is making choices within the parameters of a particular punishment different, in principle, from choosing between types of punishments? One wonders how far Felix would carry his objection to any “election of punishments.” After all, a convict has many choices about how to spend his time in prison (reading, exercising, sleeping, taking classes, etc.). Each choice that he makes in some way alters the character of his punishment. How is making choices within the parameters of a particular punishment different, in principle, from choosing between types of punishments?

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