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    Carmelics

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    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Home/Original/inverse
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    Inverse View

    It is not the case that Aquinas holds that justice renders to each their due (suum cuique), and that disproportionate punishment is an injustice even when inflicted by legitimate authority (ST II-II, Q.61).

    ?Set your confidence on the premises below to see your aggregate.

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
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    • 1.Determining what is 'due' requires substantive value judgments that vary across cultures; no universal standard of proportionality exists objectively.
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    • 2.Legitimate authority may sometimes need flexibility to impose severe penalties for serious crimes or emergencies; strict proportionality can be counterproductive.
      ?

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    • 3.Aquinas's framework assumes a fixed natural law, but modern justice systems treat proportionality as a procedural constraint, not a metaphysical principle.
      ?

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    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.Legitimate authority derives moral force from serving the common good, which requires proportionate punishment to maintain public trust and order.
      ?

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    • 2.Disproportionate punishment violates the dignity of the person punished by treating them as less than human, contradicting natural law.
      ?

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    • 3.Justice as a virtue requires the agent to act rightly; excessive punishment corrupts the authority figure's character regardless of legitimacy.
      ?

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