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Abstract

Moral responsibility scepticism, understood as taking seriously the possibility that we lack the kind of control in our actions to be truly deserving of blame and praise, raises concerns about how we can justify punishing criminals. If no one deserves blame, on what basis can we sanction criminals? The Quarantine Model by Derk Pereboom is one proposal that offers a possible justification. It draws on an analogy between carriers of severe infectious diseases and dangerous criminals: in the same way that we may be able to justifiably quarantine blameless individuals carrying dangerous diseases for the purpose of self-protection and the prevention of harm to others, we could similarly justifiably “quarantine” dangerous criminals for the purpose of self-defence and defence of others, even though such individuals are blameless according to moral responsibility sceptics. In other words, this model appeals to the right to harm offenders in self-defense and defence of others to justify criminal sanctions. But there are questions about whether such a model can adequately deter criminal behaviour. In fact, some have argued it might incentivize crime. I explore the limits of the right to harm defensively and argue that it could be used to justify deterring punishments under some circumstances.

Forthcoming events

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in people with HIV: causes and consequences

Monday, 04 November 2024, 1pm to 2pm @ BDI/OxPop Building LG seminar room

Changing the face of trials of medical procedures

Tuesday, 05 November 2024, 1pm to 2pm @ Richard Doll Lecture Theatre, Richard Doll Building, Old Road Campus, Headington, OX3 7LF

mRNA vaccines and paediatric RSV

Monday, 11 November 2024, 1pm to 2pm @ BDI/OxPop Building LG seminar room

Festival of Global Health - Human Forever

Wednesday, 13 November 2024, 4pm to 8pm @ Curzon Oxford, Westgate Shopping Centre, Oxford OX1 1NZ

Fake vaccines: The problem - and finding solutions

Monday, 18 November 2024, 1pm to 2pm @ BDI/OxPop Building LG seminar rooms

The potential of vaccination to prevent congenital CMV

Monday, 25 November 2024, 1pm to 2pm @ BDI/OxPop Building LG seminar rooms