(August 3, 2022 at 6:22 am)Macoleco Wrote: I have been wondering what was the moral/ethical justification of the execution of criminals of war during the Nuremberg Trials and after?
This brings up a question: what defines the line between execution and imprisionment? Lets expand this to for example, narcos, who also murder and hurt people, many innocent. Under the reasoning of Nuremberg would they be executed too?
Also, those who oppose death penalty, would they oppose the execution of criminals of war such as Nazis? Or would they argue that every life is valuable regardless of their actions? Where do we cross the line?
Just food for thought. Write your opinions.
Personally I always thought the much more interesting question about the Nuremberg Trials was the anger at Goering taking his own life hours before the hangman did it for him, I have read people saying they felt he "cheated" his execution. I think it tells us a lot about the real motivations behind the death penalty, it is not about justice or revenge but about emotional satisfaction and power.
I think it very important we understand what our motivations are, even when those motivations might not be something we like to understand about ourselves or society.
