Ethics Philosophy Paper
Peters 1
According to a study done by “Wholesome Words Worldwide” in 2011 there were approximately seven billion people on this planet, and the death rate was approximately nine deaths per one thousand people a year. This works out to be roughly fifty six million people dying every year. There are many causes for death including road accidents, heart attacks, old age or sickness but the most unnecessary cause of death is murder. (Ross, 1-2)
In some circumstances there are mass killings, which are intentional killing of a massive number of non-combatants. Victims of mass killings may be members of any kind of group (ethnic, political, religious, etc.) as long as they are noncombatants and as long as their deaths were caused intentionally. What causes people to commit crimes such as the “Aurora Shooting” where twelve innocent people were killed and fifty-eight were injured during a midnight screening of the Dark Knight? Is it because they are mentally ill and have no control over their actions? What are their motives and what consequences will they face? (Valentino, 10)
At midnight during showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” on July 20th, 2012, James Holmes entered the theatre wearing a gas mask and opened fire on the audience leaving fifty-eight people injured and twelve dead. When taking a glance at the man held responsible for the “Aurora Shooting” you would not assume he would be someone that would commit such a crime. He looks like an everyday average man incapable of taking the lives of an individual never mind that many people. Holmes’s lawyers claim that he is mentally ill. Does the fact that he was
Peters 2 mentally ill preclude him from being held accountable for the horrific measures that his body carried out. James Holmes should be held accountable for the crimes that he committed. On the other hand many governments believe that they should give psychopaths a break due to the fact that their brains function differently. (Lane, 2-3)
According to
According to a study done by “Wholesome Words Worldwide” in 2011 there were approximately seven billion people on this planet, and the death rate was approximately nine deaths per one thousand people a year. This works out to be roughly fifty six million people dying every year. There are many causes for death including road accidents, heart attacks, old age or sickness but the most unnecessary cause of death is murder. (Ross, 1-2)
In some circumstances there are mass killings, which are intentional killing of a massive number of non-combatants. Victims of mass killings may be members of any kind of group (ethnic, political, religious, etc.) as long as they are noncombatants and as long as their deaths were caused intentionally. What causes people to commit crimes such as the “Aurora Shooting” where twelve innocent people were killed and fifty-eight were injured during a midnight screening of the Dark Knight? Is it because they are mentally ill and have no control over their actions? What are their motives and what consequences will they face? (Valentino, 10)
At midnight during showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” on July 20th, 2012, James Holmes entered the theatre wearing a gas mask and opened fire on the audience leaving fifty-eight people injured and twelve dead. When taking a glance at the man held responsible for the “Aurora Shooting” you would not assume he would be someone that would commit such a crime. He looks like an everyday average man incapable of taking the lives of an individual never mind that many people. Holmes’s lawyers claim that he is mentally ill. Does the fact that he was
Peters 2 mentally ill preclude him from being held accountable for the horrific measures that his body carried out. James Holmes should be held accountable for the crimes that he committed. On the other hand many governments believe that they should give psychopaths a break due to the fact that their brains function differently. (Lane, 2-3)
According to
Cited: Ana Santana- The Nation "Henry Lee Lucas Biography." Bio.com. LA TIMES, 15 Apr. 1985. Valentino, Benjamin. "Google Books." Google Books, 2005 JOURNAL: