I have now come to the conclusion (roughly) that capital punishment is defensible, if it can be shown to have a deterrent effect on murder. In that case, a few executions save not only some people from being murdered but… — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image
It is hard to tell if capital punishment has such an effect. And even if, in some contexts it has (such as in the American South with a very high incidence of murder), this effect may very well go away… — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image
Being a moral realist I see normative ethics as a search of the truth about our obligations and a search of explanation; the idea… — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image
I do believe that what I have called populist democracy is to be preferred to what I have called elitist democracy. — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image
It is true that it feels very differently to enjoy a good meal, taking part in an interesting conversation, or to think of how… — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image
It is obvious that humanity faces existential threats of a global nature. They are global in the sense that is not possible to deal… — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image
Are there any good arguments in defence of moral nihilism? I think not. — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image
According to deontology it is wrong to kill an innocent human being, period. — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image
How could it be that I had a legal obligation to kill people I did not know, and who did certainly not consent to… — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image
I want to think that there are better ways of obviating murder than to resort to capital punishment, but I realise that this may… — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image
Even where people in different cultures agree they may all have gone wrong. — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image
The Chinese are generally speaking much more reluctant than Westerners to killing as a means to the rescue of lives. — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image
I am indeed a hedonistic utilitarian. I have defended hedonistic utilitarianism for quite a while. — Torbjorn Tannsjo Copy Share Image