Nietzsche And Punishment Analysis

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In this paper, I will argue that Nietzsche’s view on punishment morally is skewed simply because I believe that a healthy moral individual would not be at rest while another human is being tortured. However, to a certain extent and in some specific situations, many would disagree with me. As for Foucault’s speculation on morality I will agree to certain extent as well.
It is quite apparent Nietzsche wants to point out the irony pertaining to punishment. His perspective on punishment is that punishment –at least at some points in history, is a practice for the sake of to seeking retribution, revenge and ironically enough cheerfulness. Nietzsche characterizes the relationship between punishment and morality as historically dynamic and unstable, but, notably, at one times more in a cheerful behavior. Nietzsche criticizes retributivists (the people who judge others before they judge themselves) and utilitarians who seek justice or deterrence as the essence of punishment. Nietzsche argues that in order for the cruelty in punishment to be understood we have to learn to see punishment as always festival-like, or, punishment always involves a kind of festival of cruelty that contemporary moralists (e.g. utilitarians) try to hide with their somber, “downer” accounts of punishment (without cruelty).
For Foucault—similarly or on the other hand, however, Foucault’s speculation on punishment and morality is that punishment is used, also for a variety of reasons, also unstable and dynamic historically. Foucault focuses in particular on a change in our ideas about punishment like Nietzsche. In the first situation, where punishment is more “festival-like” as Nietzsche would say, the joy is not for the people as much as it is for a festival to...

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... punishment of the old regime” (Foucault, 111) Here, Foucault is describing how the powerful used the guilty as an example for the viewers. I want to compare this to a death sentence that is fairly commonly used in America. When someone commits capital offense a gruesome act, the American government will use its authority to portray its power. I agree with Foucault idea when he states that the viewers will in fact learn a lesson by witnessing the power of government over its citizens. Nietzsche’s perception however illustrates that the spectators should view this act as a cheerful one rather than one to invoke power. I personally feel that using punishment as a technique to make spectators joyous does not solve the problem that needs to be solved. As a healthy moral human being I believe that punishing someone should never be used as an amusing and pleasurable view.

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