punishment

punishment
   Punishment is the infliction of something bad (frequently, but not necessarily, pain or a loss of freedom) on a wrongdoer because of a wrong committed. Philosophical debate centres on the question of how, if at all, punishment can be justified. There are two principal schools of thought here: the retribution view, that crimes intrinsically deserve punishment, whatever effects the punishment may have, and the rehabilitation view, that the purpose of punishment is to teach the offender the error of his or her ways and to ensure that he or she does not reoffend. There is also the deterrence view: that punishment exists to deter not just the offender but everyone. One issue that brings out the disagreement among the views is that of capital punishment: supporters of the retribution view tend to allow for capital punishment (at least in theory), whereas supporters of the rehabilitation view regard capital punishment as impermissible, and supporters of the deterrence view are divided. Most Christian philosophers have tended to the retribution view for two reasons: (1) the law of the Old Testament, especially the lex talionis ('an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth'), seems to be based on the retribution view, and (2) the existence of Hell is difficult to reconcile with the deterrence view or the rehabilitation view.
   See Hell
   Further reading: Duff 1986; Hoekema 1986; Honderich 1984; Walker 1991

Christian Philosophy . . 2015.

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  • punishment — pun·ish·ment n 1: the act of punishing 2: a penalty (as a fine or imprisonment) inflicted on an offender through the judicial and esp. criminal process see also cruel and unusual punishment Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster …   Law dictionary

  • Punishment — Pun ish*ment, n. 1. The act of punishing. [1913 Webster] 2. Any pain, suffering, or loss inflicted on a person because of a crime or offense. [1913 Webster] I never gave them condign punishment. Shak. [1913 Webster] The rewards and punishments of …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • punishment — late 13c., from Anglo Fr. punisement (13c.), O.Fr. punissement, from punir (see PUNISH (Cf. punish)). Meaning “rough handling” is from 1811 …   Etymology dictionary

  • punishment — [n] penalty abuse, amercement, beating, castigation, chastening, chastisement, comeuppance, confiscation, correction, deprivation, disciplinary action, discipline, forfeit, forfeiture, gallows, hard work, infliction, just desserts*, lumps,… …   New thesaurus

  • punishment — ► NOUN 1) the action of punishing or the state of being punished. 2) the penalty imposed for an offence. 3) informal harsh or rough treatment …   English terms dictionary

  • punishment — [pun′ish mənt] n. 1. a punishing or being punished 2. a penalty imposed on an offender for a crime or wrongdoing 3. harsh or injurious treatment …   English World dictionary

  • Punishment — The old village stocks in Chapeltown, Lancashire, England For other uses, see Punishment (disambiguation). Punishment is the authoritative imposition of something negative or unpleasant on a person or animal in response to behavior deemed wrong… …   Wikipedia

  • PUNISHMENT — While there is no modern theory of punishment that cannot, in some form or other, be traced back to biblical concepts, the original and foremost purpose of punishment in biblical law was the appeasement of God. God abhors the criminal ways of… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • punishment — /pun ish meuhnt/, n. 1. the act of punishing. 2. the fact of being punished, as for an offense or fault. 3. a penalty inflicted for an offense, fault, etc. 4. severe handling or treatment. [1250 1300; ME punysshement < AF punisement, OF… …   Universalium

  • punishment — n. 1) to administer, mete out punishment to 2) to impose, inflict punishment on 3) to escape; suffer, take punishment 4) cruel, cruel and unusual; harsh, severe; just; light, mild punishment 5) capital; corporal; summary punishment 6) (mil.)… …   Combinatory dictionary

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