On the Investigation of Cruelty, Dignity, and Determinism

Behavior is completely determined. Behavior is not completely determined. What are the implications of holding one belief or the other? Gwynn Nettler explored this problem recently, offering provocative hypotheses and some empirical findings. His conclusions, if correct, would call for a revision of conventional notions regarding the relationships among morality, free-will-or-determinism, respect for human dignity, and the disposition to punish. The present paper examines the logical, psychological, and methodological grounds of Nettler's contribution. Attention is directed to issues that require further consideration, and some alternative points of view are suggested

Criminology · Cruelty · Determinism · Dignity · Epistemology · Political science · Sociology · Free Will and Agency · Law · Philosophy · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Social Psychology · War, Ethics, and Justification