Premium Essay

Free Will Debate

Submitted By
Words 1323
Pages 6
It is common knowledge that the Bill of Rights protects the right to not incriminate oneself. However, if one’s brain incriminates them, does that violate this principle? (Alan Alda, “Roundtable Discusses Sentence”). Is the ability to keep one’s thoughts private an unalienable right as well? No argument is as tremendous and concerning in the field of neurolaw as the question of “Do we have free will, and if we don’t do we have the right to hold people responsible?” With the rise of neuroscientific evidence used in court cases is a rise in claims that “I didn’t do it, my brain did it”. If the brain is truly the source of our thoughts, and neurological disorders may warp these thoughts, do living beings truly have free will? In the article …show more content…
He argues that free will as an illusion due to neuroscience may be derived only with the assumption that free will is independent of neural activity. The very opposite may be true, that free will requires proper connections of the brain. Therefore, the brain is pivotal in allowing us to conduct activities of our free will, rather than in proving that free will is non-existent. This assumption would allow us to assume that a person with impaired brain functioning does not have complete free will, and thus, by this reason may deserve to be held less accountable for his or her actions. At this point, another question arises, “With the addition of neuroscientific evidence, what is the true, ultimate purpose of the prison system?” Is punishment simply a form of retributivism? Do we keep people in jail to keep the rest of society safe? Or is the purpose of jail rehabilitation? The purpose of punishment has been speculated for more than a century. Public interest in supporting criminal rehabilitation has dwindled in the past but may now arise again with neuroscientific evidence (Nita …show more content…
As mentioned before, jail time during stages of brain development associated with the prefrontal cortex may have negative, irreversible effects on the adolescent brain. Does this mean then, that a juvenile offender may be better off spending their life elsewhere? Many believe that one of the primary goals of the justice system is to keep society safe and prosperous. This would require a good system of integration into the society following incarceration. What is interesting, is that, as Judge Jed Rakoff believes, a longer length of incarceration and higher level of probation is actually correlated to a higher risk of retribution. In this manner, neuroscience can be used to devise better and more effective punishment rather than to exempt a defendant from responsibility. Bringing these findings to public attention may make society much more forgiving, and help with limiting environmental factors which encourage crime. For Lynne Malcom’s and Olivia’s William’s article “Can Neurolaw Change the Criminal Justice System”, Jeanette Kennett, a professor at the Macquarie University in Australia points out that societies may benefit from being less retributive. She argues that rather than shaming criminals, we should begin to look at causes of crime which are not in the criminal’s control. Indeed, this mindset will help many ex-prisoners be

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Free Healthcare Debate

...The United States faces a long battle to repair its economy. Issues like unemployment, the federal budget deficit, immigration, gun control, etc, seem to create never ending discussions without any resolution. The healthcare system is one of the many issues that have been affected by the economic crisis and according to president Barrack Obama, reform is a must. Besides all economic factors affecting the healthcare system, the system has been blamed for inefficiency, excessive administrative expenses, inappropriate waste, and fraud and abuse. Many Americans today are having trouble keeping up with the continue rise of healthcare costs and many firms cannot afford to provide coverage to their employees. Although the government is working on a reform for the healthcare system, many questions are still pending to be answered. One question that has raised polemic discussions around the country is: should the U.S. government provide healthcare to all citizens? While many feel there should be a simple yes or no to this questions, many others realize that we do have to consider any potential ethical, moral or legal issues that can cause collateral damage to our economy and also the healthcare system. President Obama has been focusing on a reform for the healthcare system prior to his first election and to give a little overview of his reform, according to The White House (2013), see table below: Overview of Health Reform “It makes insurance more affordable by providing the largest...

Words: 1557 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Arguments for and Against Trade Liberalization Leading to a "Race to the Bottom" in Environmental Standard

...statement. I don’t think that trade liberation could be the only thing that would lead to a “race to the bottom” in terms of environment safekeeping. I believe that free trade is important in dispensing the economy of a country with means that will allow it to embrace measures that will supplement the safety of the environment. That means that free trade is a compulsory element in stimulating economic growth.  Without a country’s growth, it would be even harder for the country to provide the mandatory or necessary protection amongst its people. For them to be able to enhance environmental protection, they should first be able to enlarge the wealth of the country. The truth is, some of the poor countries cannot supply to provide environmental protection more than they can provide fundamental needs such as food and healthcare.  Most of these environmental groups refuse to allow trade promotion authority because they are afraid that it will lead to environmental distractions.  Therefore, they persuade that trade promotion authority needs involved parties to at least keep minimum required standards and that they be made essential. However, this necessity will not stimulate the growth of environmental protection.  As it is that some countries are ready to allow US to govern their native environment, chances of conferring free trade consensus in the future for other countries are being limited due to...

Words: 689 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

California Debate

...of the Debates in the Convention of California, there were many prominent arguments made by the debaters regarding whether or not to prohibit free blacks from immigrating and settling in California. The debate was shaped by racial and economic differences and the principles of a citizen’s rights and freedom. The first issue debated was related to economic issues. Many of the debaters believed that brining slaves to California would do nothing but “degrade white labor-free to disturb the social and political harmony of the state” (Browne, 145). In the end, bringing slaves to California will disrupt economic success to Californian citizens. Emancipated slaves would create competition for labor, increase monopolies of capitalists,...

Words: 486 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Senate Campaign of 1858

...Introduction The Senate Campaign of 1858 was called the one of greatest Campaign of the century. In the summer of 1858, two candidates campaigned across the state of Illinois for a seat in the United States Senate. That belonged to Stephen Douglas from the Democratic Party. He was seeking reelection. His opponent was a lawyer from the newly established Republican Party. His name was Abraham Lincoln. Out of this great campaign birth the Lincoln-Douglas debates which was a series of formal political debates in 1858 between the two candidates, but also received national importance. The Lincoln-Douglas debates were a defining moment in American political history, affording Abraham Lincoln a major opportunity to create an image for himself on the wider public stage. Stephen Douglas was an established political figure and had distinguished himself in numerous congressional battles, while Lincoln was not known in this arena. Discussion In 1832, Lincoln decided to run for the Illinois State Legislature. Lincoln was to campaign for local improvements such as better roads and canals. However, a war with the Black Hawk Indians broke out before Lincoln’s campaign could get started, in response he joined the Army. After his short wartime, Lincoln returned to politics and lost the race of Illinois Legislature. In 1834 Lincoln made a second attempt to maintain a seat in the state legislature, which he was successful in winning the seat. Lincoln was elected in 1834, 1836, 1838, and...

Words: 3099 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Geog Need to Know

...Past Paper Questions Listed below are all of the available past paper questions for the Debates section of your PSYB4 examination. The specimen paper below is representative of what your actual paper will look like (2 x 4 mark questions and 1 x 12 mark essay question. Older papers (June 2006-June 2009) used to have Psychology and Science as a separate section so there are a lot of past paper questions on this particular debate. Now they are combined and you would be asked a mixture of questions from across different debates. Print off the copy of this document without the answers and use this to mark them and give yourselves targets for improvement. Specimen Paper Outline what is meant by hypothesis testing and explain the role of hypothesis testing in scientific research. (4 marks) [AO3 = 4] Up to 2 marks for definition/outline of what is meant by hypothesis testing, eg a hypothesis is a testable, predictive statement/proposition specifying the relationships between events or variables. Two further marks for explanation of the role of hypothesis testing in research, eg theories need to be tested by empirical studies, hypothesis testing allows researchers to refute or support a theory, the degree of support determines confidence in a theory. Credit references to the null hypothesis and falsification of a theory 0 8 Explain what is meant by the nature-nurture debate in psychology. (4 marks) [AOl = 2, AO2 = 2] AOl One mark for outlining the term nature; genes...

Words: 5995 - Pages: 24

Premium Essay

The Senate Campaing of 1858

...Campaign of 1858 Introduction The Senate Campaign of 1858 was called the one of greatest Campaign of the century. In the summer of 1858, two candidates campaigned across the state of Illinois for a seat in the United States Senate. That belonged to Stephen Douglas from the Democratic Party. He was seeking reelection. His opponent was a lawyer from the newly established Republican Party. His name was Abraham Lincoln. Out of this great campaign birth the Lincoln-Douglas debates which was a series of formal political debates in 1858 between the two candidates, but also received national importance. The Lincoln-Douglas debates were a defining moment in American political history, affording Abraham Lincoln a major opportunity to create an image for himself on the wider public stage. Stephen Douglas was an established political figure and had distinguished himself in numerous congressional battles, while Lincoln was not known in this arena. Discussion In 1832, Lincoln decided to run for the Illinois State Legislature. Lincoln was to campaign for local improvements such as better roads and canals. However, a war with the Black Hawk Indians broke out before Lincoln’s campaign could get going, in response he joined the Army. After his short wartime...

Words: 3258 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Lincoln and Douglas Debates

...Ryan Hogue Period 3 Lincoln Douglas Debates The 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates pushed the United States farther from Unionization. Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglass argued in different areas of Illinois from August until October, both eager for a place in the United States Senate. Douglas of the Northern Democratic party accepted a contest from Lincoln, a republican politician of Illinois in debating the slavery issues, which eventually would play a major part in Lincoln’s political life. The majority of the debates were over the Kansas Nebraska Act and Popular Sovereignty. Popular Sovereignty reinforced the idea of people choosing whether or not western expansion of slavery should occur. Lincoln said, “A house divided can not stand” Lincoln believed that a nation that is divided into both free and slave states would ultimately end up divided into two distinct unions, while Douglas felt it could survive and not split the nation. The deciding factor to let slavery be decided between states or a nation as a whole was a series of events that took place during the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Dred Scott was a former slave that sought for his freedom, after his master sold him; he was technically considered a free black. Scott went on trial in the Supreme Court and Lincoln and Douglas found this case revenant to their debates and used him as an example in their arguments over states rights. For example Douglas continually attacked Lincoln claiming that he opposed Dred...

Words: 297 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Cja 423 Week 1 Assignment Disparity and Discrimination

...More Courses and Exams use this form ( http://hwguiders.com/contact-us/ ) Feel Free to Search your Class through Our Product Categories or From Our Search Bar (http://hwguiders.com/ ) Every day in life there’s Discrimination. Depending on the situations discrimination could be portrayed to as an intentional discrimination or a form of disparity. Hatred, violence, strong emotions and feelings is a worldwide issue that is cause by Disparity. Both terms have similarities and difference that will be explained further. “Disparity and discrimination are sometimes confusing and can cause heated debates concerning if discrimination exists in the criminal justice system. Discrimination comes in many forms and has seriousness levels. Disparity refers to a difference but does not always involve discrimination. To determine if discrimination exists in the criminal justice system or if the differences are a result of disparity one must fully understand the key differences between disparity and discrimination” (Williams, 2009, p. 1). TO Download Complete Tutorial Hit Purchase Button CJA 423 week 1 Assignment Disparity and Discrimination Get Tutorial by Clicking on the link below or Copy Paste Link in Your Browser https://hwguiders.com/downloads/cja-423-week-1-assignment-disparity-discrimination/ For More Courses and Exams use this form ( http://hwguiders.com/contact-us/ ) Feel Free to Search your Class through Our Product Categories or From Our Search Bar (http://hwguiders...

Words: 3528 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

Economic Disparity In Colonial America

...for masses of people to leave the nation in search for something better. These people heard the myths of the new world, being a land where anyone could become rich and free, and instinctively immigrated. These people, being influenced by the myths...

Words: 1387 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Islamand Freedom

...Contemporary Debates in Islam Virtually, everyone believes in freedom of speech in any liberal society because it is one of its fundamental and most valuable tenets but how ‘free’, freedom of speech should be has been a bone of contention in diverse liberal society. The discourse about freedom of speech and the offense and harms it can constitute in a society has been an issue since the inception of liberalism. The Rushdie’s affair in 1989 brought into public view “the nature of Islam and its relationship with the West” (K. Malik 41).The Rushdie’s affair, generated as a result of a book, Satanic Verses, written by Rushdie Salman, it aggravated the Muslim society to the extent that a fatwa was issued ordering his death. In 2005, the publication of the Mohammed cartoons by Jyllands-Posten reignited the debate on freedom of speech and its limitations and there were two sides to it. On one hand of the debate, there are people who argue that for social harmony and progress in a plural or diverse society, “constraining free speech” or limiting it out of respect for the deeply held views of the different group is important (K. Malik 53). There are also those who argue for the right to free speech only when it is to their benefit or interest, which is double standards. That is, they use freedom of speech as a means to an end. To this end, Kenan Malik, a London writer and strong proponent of free speech, disagrees with both sides of the debate, calling them “enemies of free speech”...

Words: 1987 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Territorial Expansion

...respective economic systems. However, the seemingly perpetual acquisitions of territories repeatedly ignited a national debate; with each region interested in protecting their economical and political systems respectively. The United States first expanded with The Northwest Ordinance of 1787. The Northwest Ordinance established the Northwest Territory—the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. More importantly, this legislation outlawed slavery north of the Ohio River. In 1803, the United States acquired the Louisiana Purchase—ironically, as a direct result of a slave revolt in Haiti—from France. The Louisiana Purchase would spark the first national political debate. As settlers began to move into the Louisiana territory, the issue of slavery arose. A territory could apply for statehood after it reached 60,000 settlers. In 1819, Missouri applied for statehood, entering the Union as a slave state. This enraged White Northerners. The admittance of Missouri gave the slave holding states the majority in the Senate; foreshadowing, that future political policies, would favor the Southern economic system—slavery. In an effort to consolidate the North and South, Henry Clay a representative from Kentucky constructed the Missouri Compromise. This allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state, in addition to, Maine entering the Union as a free state. This temporarily moderated the geographical dispute. In, 1846 the United States began its war with Mexico. Amidst...

Words: 662 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Clash of Arguments on Slavery

...believe that it was a benefactor. As Stampp and Fogel argue, slavery was morally untenable; it was a harsh working system but an efficient and profitable one. This paper will touch upon different arguments about efficiency of slavery and how slavery affected the South economy. This paper will try to clarify the issue that whether slavery was a benefactor or detriment for economy of the United States. The debate has gone on for a long time and it is about whether the slavery was efficient or not and whether it was an economic burden on regions. Historians emphasized mostly on the issue of whether or not slavery was a benefactor or detriment to the United States. There are two opposite poles of this debate. From those historians, Ulrich B. Phillips represented one pole of the debate. Many other historians influenced by Ulrich B. Phillips and took his side in the debate. The other pole of this debate is Robert William Fogel and Stanley L. Engerman. They took part in the debate with the arguments they propounded in the book “Time on the Cross”. I want to depict this debate by using colors, color’s of opinion. Ulrih B. Phillips represents the “black” and...

Words: 2834 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Anti-Pornography Civil Rights Ordinance

...where the free speech of men silences the free speech of women. . .is not serious about securing freedom of expression. " Dworkin said it's ridiculous since the right to free speech cannot includes a right that others grasp and respect what one means to say. But "Only Words" contains an article that Dworkin must deal with seriously: "Equality and Speech." In this article, McKinnon has changed the perspective of the argument, and no longer quells to what extent pornography are "words" and to what extent "act"; instead, she proposes the two concepts of "equality and freedom" in First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment...

Words: 1251 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Why Is Lincoln's Assassination Justified

...a play.The assassination of Abraham Lincoln was justified because he did not believe blacks and whites should have equal rights and the emancipation proclamation did not actually free all slaves; however some people believe he was an abolitionist. It was believed that Lincoln thought blacks and whites should have equal rights, this is actually not true. In the fourth debate between Lincoln and Douglas, Lincoln states, “I will say then...

Words: 535 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Nature vs. Nuture

...Nature vs. Nurture The nature versus nurture is about the importance of people natural qualities versus personal experiences. Personal experiences are nurture. It’s the different between in distinguishing the differences in a person actions, such as physical and behavioral traits. People mostly get all of their behavior from nurture. Both of these terms play a role in development. EDITNature vs nurture in personality traits Personality is a frequently cited example of a heritable trait that has been studied in twins and adoptions. Identical twins reared apart are far more similar in personality than randomly selected pairs of people. Likewise, identical twins are more similar than fraternal twins. Also, biological siblings are more similar in personality than adoptive siblings. Each observation suggests that personality is heritable to a certain extent. However, these same study designs allow for the examination of environment as well as genes. Adoption studies also directly measure the strength of shared family effects. Adopted siblings share only family environment. Unexpectedly, some adoption studies indicate that by adulthood the personalities of adopted siblings are no more similar than random pairs of strangers. This would mean that shared family effects on personality are zero by adulthood. As is the case with personality, non-shared environmental effects are often found to out-weigh shared environmental effects. That is, environmental effects that are typically thought...

Words: 789 - Pages: 4