Why is homicide bad?

[Matteo Martini]

Why is homicide bad?

After all, people die all the time for natural reasons, rich and poor, old and young.
We do not blame the Universe, Mother Nature to be bad for this.

It may be said that homicide is man-made, while natural death it is not.
But this may be a weak argument, moreover, many people who look a homicide with horror, support death penalty an wars where hundred of thousande of (innocent) people die.

I am not saying that war has to be avoided no-matter-what, I am just pointing out that the whole justification of war (of all wars) may be questionable, along as the justification and the criteria by which a person is sent to death and not, for example, to prison for life or 30 years.

It may be said that homicide is bad as provokes suffering on other people (mostly, the victim, I would say), but, are not also job losses, being left by the loved one provoking suffering?

 

[fls]

Why is homicide bad?

Because it's not symmetrical.

Linda

 

[lionking]

This just has to be the most irrational thread I have ever seen.

 

[lionking]

Can this be sent to the Humor sub-forum?

 

[Matteo Martini]

Because it's not symmetrical.

Linda

So what?

This just has to be the most irrational thread I have ever seen.

I take it as a compliment (I know it is not)

 

[Cainkane1]

HOMICIDE, n. The slaying of one human being by another. There are four kinds of homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy, but it makes no great difference to the person slain whether he fell by one kind or another — the classification is for advantage of the lawyers.

 

[Denver]

Other answers may come to you if you think about it this way: Why would homicide be bad for ME? What kind of laws would I want in place to discourage it from happening to ME?

 

[Darat]

I think at the bottom of any justification is just "I don't want to be murdered"!

 

[Arthur Denton]

Well, losing someone close is rather troubling. People think that life is their property (their life I mean). And also, people are scared of death because they don't know what comes next. I think it is the end of possibilities, so I condemn homicide because it takes someone's last chance to do something on earth.

 

[bruto]

I think at the bottom of any justification is just "I don't want to be murdered"!

And, perhaps even more so, I don't want my children to be murdered. Homicide is at least bad economy for us greedy breeders.

 

[OneDollarWilliam]

I take the view that homicide is bad because I wouldn't want to be killed. Why would I do something to another person that I wouldn't be willing to let them do to me?

 

[The Man]

Why is homicide bad?

Why anything is “bad” is generally a matter of perspective or the need of justification for that action.

After all, people die all the time for natural reasons, rich and poor, old and young.
We do not blame the Universe, Mother Nature to be bad for this.

Sure we do plenty of bad things, in our opinions, happen by nature (including deaths) it is just that nature does not make that distinction between good and bad, indifference is the natural order of things. That we make moral determinations like good or bad is what drives us to justify and results from that justification of our actions or lack thereof.

It may be said that homicide is man-made, while natural death it is not.
But this may be a weak argument, moreover, many people who look a homicide with horror, support death penalty an wars where hundred of thousande of (innocent) people die.

What is “natural death”? Being eaten by a Lion? Everyone could probably extend their lives (or perhaps the life of someone else) by some amount by changing their activities. How much responsibility does one take for their own death whether or not it is at the hand of another person? Is not your death, if not at the hands of others, then made by you? One could say that intent might be a determining factor, but even if you did not intend to kill by crossing a four lane highway (with no crosswalk), if your death or someone else’s is a result, then it was still “man made” by you regardless of your intent.

I am not saying that war has to be avoided no-matter-what, I am just pointing out that the whole justification of war (of all wars) may be questionable, along as the justification and the criteria by which a person is sent to death and not, for example, to prison for life or 30 years.

The “justification of war” is always questionable as is the effectiveness of capital punishment, but none of that makes any difference as to why homicide must be considered bad.

It may be said that homicide is bad as provokes suffering on other people (mostly, the victim, I would say), but, are not also job losses, being left by the loved one provoking suffering?

No, it must be said that homicide is bad because the alternatives homicide is good or we should be indifferent to homicide removes the need for the justification of homicide.

 

[Arthur Denton]

I take the view that homicide is bad because I wouldn't want to be killed. Why would I do something to another person that I wouldn't be willing to let them do to me?

The golden rule, aye.

According to Wikipedia:

The ethic of reciprocity or the Golden Rule is a fundamental moral value which simply means "treat others as you would like to be treated." It is arguably the most essential basis for the modern concept of human rights, though it is not without its critics.

Though, it is not without its critics.

 

[phantomb]

Why is homicide bad?

After all, people die all the time for natural reasons, rich and poor, old and young.
We do not blame the Universe, Mother Nature to be bad for this.

Really? I blame the universe for this all the time. It may be the only one we've got, but I would easily prefer a universe in which people need not age or die, wouldn't you?

It may be said that homicide is man-made, while natural death it is not.
But this may be a weak argument, moreover, many people who look a homicide with horror, support death penalty an wars where hundred of thousande of (innocent) people die.

I am not saying that war has to be avoided no-matter-what, I am just pointing out that the whole justification of war (of all wars) may be questionable, along as the justification and the criteria by which a person is sent to death and not, for example, to prison for life or 30 years.

As has been pointed out, the reason many people look at homicide with horror (and the reason that murder is against the law) is that they fear being killed themselves. This is pretty much the whole point of society: a group of people banding together to share resources, establish and enforce a rule of law, and if necessary, give up their rights or even their lives to defend each other.

The criteria by which war is declared or a person is sentenced to death or life imprisonment is based on the danger posed to society. Dangerous people are killed or imprisoned because they are a threat to everyone else or to themselves, and we are all willing to infringe on such an individual's rights in order to protect ourselves, though there is a wide range of beliefs as to how and when we should do this.

It may be said that homicide is bad as provokes suffering on other people (mostly, the victim, I would say), but, are not also job losses, being left by the loved one provoking suffering?

Murderers are met with our harshest punishments because killing someone is the most unjust thing that you can do to them. A victim of murder is deprived of all of their rights, and there is no chance of them ever receiving recompense. Are you actually trying to equate the importance of allowing every last person to remain in their job and the importance of punishing criminals and removing dangerous people from society?

 

[gdnp]

This just has to be the most irrational thread I have ever seen.

I disagree. It is a legitimate question. If you are religious the answer is "because God says so." If you are an athiest you need to find a justification that does not involve God.

We may think that it is trivially obvious that murder is bad, but this is cultural. Hutus did not think it was bad to kill Tutsis. Huns did not think it was bad to conquer places, killing people and taking their stuff. Western imperial powers acted the same way with aboriginal people and with each other. Nazis did not think it was bad to kill Jews, Gypsies, and homosexuals. Some Muslims consider it virtuous to kill infidels and adulterers. Many Americans think it is OK to kill murderers and child rapists.

Unless you can decide why killing is bad, and how bad it is, it is impossible to come to rational conclusions about justifications for war, capital punishment, abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, etc.

 

[TinfoilCat]

Why is homicide bad?
...
Homicide causes the pain and suffering of not only the victim, but also the people the victim know. To know a person, then to find out he/she was killed. Would you like that? I wouldn't.

 

[Frozenwolf150]

From an evolutionary standpoint, homicide is "bad" because it is not conducive to our survival as a species to condone it. Any tribe or group that allowed or encouraged homicide would quickly find itself lacking not just in numbers, but also in certain talents and skills. Killing someone removes that individual's contribution to society, as well as your own. Such a group would die off or be overtaken by its more sensible neighbors. It's not a force of nature that you have no control over, rather your decision to act on the desire to go out and murder someone is something you have complete control over, thus it's a preventable form of death.

 

[Theophage]

Why is homicide bad?
...
Homicide causes the pain and suffering of not only the victim, but also the people the victim know. To know a person, then to find out he/she was killed. Would you like that? I wouldn't.

That right there, is the real source of morals: That which causes me or mine pain and suffering is bad.

This, of course, can be extended into a group setting: That which causes members of my group pain and suffering is usually bad for the group (i.e. contributes to the group falling apart). The opposite is also true, that which helps the members of the group is usually good for the group.

The problems come in when we limit who is part of our group. Those who are outside of our group are usually not afforded our moral restrictions and allowances. If we treated everyone how we wish to be treated, 99% of moral problems would disappear. (Not 100%, no system is perfect, but good enough)

 

[dudalb]

HOMICIDE, n. The slaying of one human being by another. There are four kinds of homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy, but it makes no great difference to the person slain whether he fell by one kind or another — the classification is for advantage of the lawyers.

Bullcrap.
If you think that a killing in self defense is the same as killing somebody while commiting a crime you are either a fool or a troll.

 

[Matteo Martini]

HOMICIDE, n. The slaying of one human being by another. There are four kinds of homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy, but it makes no great difference to the person slain whether he fell by one kind or another — the classification is for advantage of the lawyers.

I do think there is a difference between killing a person under direct self-defense, or killing a person for taking his or her wallet.
But at the end, it is taking a human life in both cases.

I think at the bottom of any justification is just "I don't want to be murdered"!

[cynic]
You do not want to be murdered. WTF about the others..
[/cynic]

I take the view that homicide is bad because I wouldn't want to be killed. Why would I do something to another person that I wouldn't be willing to let them do to me?

Why you want to take that job that it is interesting also for other ten people?
If any of the other ten takes that job that you like, would you like this?

No, it must be said that homicide is bad because the alternatives homicide is good or we should be indifferent to homicide removes the need for the justification of homicide.

Yes.
So what?

Really? I blame the universe for this all the time.

Does not seem to work, right?

It may be the only one we've got, but I would easily prefer a universe in which people need not age or die, wouldn't you?

And the alternative would be..
Writing in the JREF forum for another 1000 years?

Unless you can decide why killing is bad, and how bad it is, [..]

I am not saying that I can decide this!
This is what I am asking....

Why is homicide bad?
...
Homicide causes the pain and suffering of not only the victim, but also the people the victim know. To know a person, then to find out he/she was killed. Would you like that? I wouldn't.

A job loss "causes the pain and suffering of not only the victim, but also the people the victim know".
(you can replace "victim" with "person who lost his job")

From an evolutionary standpoint, homicide is "bad" because it is not conducive to our survival as a species to condone it. Any tribe or group that allowed or encouraged homicide would quickly find itself lacking not just in numbers, but also in certain talents and skills.

Not true. From a species ` survival it may indeed be beneficial the removal of individuals who are handicapped or have deficits of any sort..