Post by patrick on May 11, 2016 18:17:42 GMT
Neurocriminology has shown that criminals’ brains are different from ours, and it has raised the philosophical quandary that “there is no responsibility in society”.
Actually, apart from the question raised by neurocriminology, another discussion around crimes can also cause moral quandaries, and it can even cause us to question whether other people around the criminals, or the society as a whole should also take the responsibility.
Think about some plants in a flowerpot. Because the others have taken most of the space in the flowerpot, one of them might end up with inadequate soil and might be crooked. This plant still has a chance to survive, but its malformed trunk will possibly destroy the beauty of the bonsai as a whole, and its crooked roots might twine around the roots of other plants. For the sake of other plants in the flowerpot and the bonsai as a whole, it makes sense that the gardener will uproot this lopsided plant, because otherwise the whole bonsai will suffer. But is it really fair?
The problem is quite clear. Had the other plants not taken too much space in the first place, the lopsided plant would have not been crooked, and would have not threatened the bonsai. But now, it has been deprived of adequate space and soil, so it has to seek other chance for its own survival, even though this will harm the bonsai. In the first place, the lopsided plant is failed; in the end, it is uprooted because its ugly appearance and twisted roots threatens the bonsai. It’s definitely not fair.
Where there is smoke, there is fire.
So my point is, some criminals (though not all of them), may have been mistreated by the society in the first place as well.
A famous case in China, the murder case of Ma Jiajue, is one with a criminal who suffered from a poor family background, insociable and introverted personality, estrangement from family members and classmates, accusations and mistreatments from school friends, and eventually murdered 4 victims which were all his friends. (To see more details: murderpedia.org/male.J/j/jiajue-ma.htm) Ma Jiajue is one example of criminals who suffer from complicated mental and social problems, who might have been wronged by the society and then wronged the society.
Criminals have their own problems, and the society has its problems, too. Most adults can handle these problems, and most children can handle them under constructions. Our laws have considered some people who just have physical abnormalities and reduced their responsibilities. But how can the laws deal with those who have been wrongfully treated by the society? This is a much more complicated problem, but it is there.
I meant not to defend for the criminals; no matter what reason they might have, their actions have in fact harmed other people. Actually, I’m just confused, because if we trace all the causes and effects, and take all the risk factors for crimes in consideration, then shouldn’t we reach the conclusion that criminals are victims, too?
There is no action without consequence. So who on earth is responsible for crimes? Criminals themselves, their genes and brains, other people around them, or even the society as a whole?
Actually, apart from the question raised by neurocriminology, another discussion around crimes can also cause moral quandaries, and it can even cause us to question whether other people around the criminals, or the society as a whole should also take the responsibility.
Think about some plants in a flowerpot. Because the others have taken most of the space in the flowerpot, one of them might end up with inadequate soil and might be crooked. This plant still has a chance to survive, but its malformed trunk will possibly destroy the beauty of the bonsai as a whole, and its crooked roots might twine around the roots of other plants. For the sake of other plants in the flowerpot and the bonsai as a whole, it makes sense that the gardener will uproot this lopsided plant, because otherwise the whole bonsai will suffer. But is it really fair?
The problem is quite clear. Had the other plants not taken too much space in the first place, the lopsided plant would have not been crooked, and would have not threatened the bonsai. But now, it has been deprived of adequate space and soil, so it has to seek other chance for its own survival, even though this will harm the bonsai. In the first place, the lopsided plant is failed; in the end, it is uprooted because its ugly appearance and twisted roots threatens the bonsai. It’s definitely not fair.
Where there is smoke, there is fire.
So my point is, some criminals (though not all of them), may have been mistreated by the society in the first place as well.
A famous case in China, the murder case of Ma Jiajue, is one with a criminal who suffered from a poor family background, insociable and introverted personality, estrangement from family members and classmates, accusations and mistreatments from school friends, and eventually murdered 4 victims which were all his friends. (To see more details: murderpedia.org/male.J/j/jiajue-ma.htm) Ma Jiajue is one example of criminals who suffer from complicated mental and social problems, who might have been wronged by the society and then wronged the society.
Criminals have their own problems, and the society has its problems, too. Most adults can handle these problems, and most children can handle them under constructions. Our laws have considered some people who just have physical abnormalities and reduced their responsibilities. But how can the laws deal with those who have been wrongfully treated by the society? This is a much more complicated problem, but it is there.
I meant not to defend for the criminals; no matter what reason they might have, their actions have in fact harmed other people. Actually, I’m just confused, because if we trace all the causes and effects, and take all the risk factors for crimes in consideration, then shouldn’t we reach the conclusion that criminals are victims, too?
There is no action without consequence. So who on earth is responsible for crimes? Criminals themselves, their genes and brains, other people around them, or even the society as a whole?
