Monday, November 13, 2006

Pop Quiz

Yo, yo. Prof Quip is in the house!
Word!

We're keeping it real, folks. Time for an impromptu exam. The best tests are those for which you are unprepard, because they tell the teacher how well you know the material, and how well you think on your feet.

Here are three scenarios:

1. A child steals a handful of cookies from the cookie jar, while his little sister watches the situation unfold.
2. A man attempts to rape a woman.
3. A world leader professes not to be developing a nuclear program, and submits to an inspection program to prove his truthfulness. However, he does not remain faithful to the terms of the agreement.

Assume the following for all three scenarios:

1. Boundaries were formally set - in the first, it's the parental rule. The second, the law. The third, UN agreement.
2. Consequences were formally set, by the same parties that set the boundaries.
3. The boundaries and consequences were communicated in advance to the appropriate parties, or to the community in general.
4. The individual in each scenario was caught overstepping the boundaries and found guilty.


The questions for the test:

1. What are the two purposes for carrying out the consequences?
2. Why don't we fulfill those two purposes?

Answers soon, or at least soon enough.

7 comments:

Marie N. said...

1. A. To serve the guilty party the punishment for overstepping the bounds.
1. B. To serve as a deterrent to others who may be considering overstepping the same bounds.

2. Because "we" are a bunch of yellow bellied ninny nincompoop weenies.

Anonymous said...

Marie
I am "shocked" at your strong language!! But, I agree-we are!!

Anonymous said...

Quipper!

What MarieN said! There's no doubt you both need to throw your heads in the ring next election.

Jonathan said...

Rick, Where do you come up with these quizzes?...

1. Only two purposes? I can think of a few, unless maybe they're related: a) Uphold the law, b) discipline / training for the offender to prevent reoccurrence, c) deterrence for others and d) reparation or recompense for losses to victims, if any.

2. Good question? Lawyers / frivolous lawsuits? Too many lawbreakers, not enough law enforcers? Cost is too high to enforce? Weakness? I may come up with more....

Kelly said...

1. The purpose of fullfiling the consequences is to keep order in the different societies (hold of chaos).
2. The other purpose is to stop the person from continuing to do said wrongs.

Jonathan said...

OK buddy, how 'bout some 'answers'...

chaplain7904 said...

1. The purpose of punishment: To prevent the criminal from doing the same crime again, either via imprisonment or other preventative consequence.

To deter the criminal (and hopefully those who witness the punishment) from wishing to do the same evil deed again, because the cost will be higher than the benefit.

To serve justice. Few things get people as riled as in-justice. In-justice creats a most unsettled condition among people, and will be cause misery until resovled.

2. Why don't we carry out the stated penalties? It takes great courage, moral strength, and strength of character to do so. Why? Because the sentencer knows (if he's honest) that he too is liable for crimes he has committed. If not against man, surely against God. But there's another factor in play. Liberty and good order are not normal conditions in a sinful world. They must constantly be propped up, and are always being intentionally torn down by those who would enslave us all. Today, humanists, socialists and all Islamists are powerful enemies of freedom. The best way to destroy liberty is lawlessness and disorder.