# My first philosophical question here **URL:** \ **Category:** Ethics\ **Created:** [September 15, 2026, 2:48pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088 "2026-09-15T14:48:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![j\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ab097/32.png) [@j\_j](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/j_j)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 12:59pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/22 "2026-09-17T12:59:49Z")
Good question ! If you are curious, Locke talks about just this kind of thing in his famous book. I don’t think there’s an easy answer. Why do we jail people ? To keep them from hurting others ? To exact a kind of revenge ? A sticky question. I think we tend to associate memory ( naturally) with what the person is **likely** to do. A wiped memory suggests an interruption in the system of habits. Same body, different “person” as “pattern of behavior” and (plausibly) as “locus of responsibility.” So the “rational” position is arguably leaving this new person be. On the other hand, those who loved his victims aren’t going to be so eager to do this. We didn’t evolve in the context of such radical shifts in who people are. ---
**Author:** ![Patterner](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/patterner/32/192_2.png) [@Patterner](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Patterner)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 1:14pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/23 "2026-09-17T13:14:27Z")
> [@Johnnywas](#): > > This was the theme of a Stargate episode Also a Star Trek: Voyager episode. > **[Repentance (Star Trek: Voyager)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repentance_(Star_Trek:_Voyager))** > > "Repentance" is the 159th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager airing on the UPN network. It is the 13th episode of the seventh season. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet and Maquis crew of the starship USS Voyager after they were stranded in the Delta Quadrant far from the rest of the Federation. In this episode, Voyager assists a ship in distress and ends up ferrying its passengers, most of whom are criminals en ... ---
**Author:** ![ages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@ages](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/ages)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2026, 10:26pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/24 "2026-09-30T22:26:15Z")
> [@Vox](#): > > > [@CivicMeadow65](#): > > > > Does he deserve jail or being hated? > > No, but if he does it again he would have a higher punishment because it would be a repeated offense - basically no, but kept on record so if he does it again its worse. Since you added me here, although you are not responding to my answers directly, why do you believe that human beings need to be punished? ---
**Author:** ![Vox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/2acd7d/32.png) [@Vox](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Vox)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2026, 10:39pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/25 "2026-09-30T22:39:00Z")
Because with no punishment there will be an increase in crimes? (I also didn’t add you? Sorry if that was meant toward someone else) ---
**Author:** ![Erazmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@Erazmo](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Erazmo)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2026, 1:17am UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/26 "2026-10-01T01:17:53Z")
> [@CivicMeadow65](#): > > So, from this moment, is it right to jail him? Is it right to blame him? Is it right to hate him? Does he deserve jail or being hated? Technically, he is different person now, and should not be held responsible in my opinion- but it would be really hard not to hate him, so I think it would be best to resettle him away from victims families and environment. There was a case where man during sleepwalking episode drove the car, killed his father or mother in law and injured other, and returned to his bed. He was not convicted for the murder because sleepwalking, and his wife did not leave him (which I personally find suprising). ---
**Author:** ![ages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@ages](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/ages)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2026, 7:32am UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/27 "2026-10-01T07:32:40Z")
> [@Vox](#): > > (I also didn’t add you? Sorry if that was meant toward someone else) Okay that’s fine. you must have got the quote from someone under my username without using anything I said, so all good. > [@Vox](#): > > Because with no punishment there will be an increase in crimes? So, to you, do crimes exist because people weren’t punished enough before? ---
**Author:** ![Vox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/2acd7d/32.png) [@Vox](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Vox)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 12:30pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/28 "2026-10-02T12:30:24Z")
Maybe… I feel like it might be a part of it ---
**Author:** ![ages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@ages](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/ages)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 12:33pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/29 "2026-10-02T12:33:06Z")
‘We’ now have here another one who was brought up to believe, absolutely, that children NEED to be punished. ---
**Author:** ![Vox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/2acd7d/32.png) [@Vox](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Vox)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 12:38pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/30 "2026-10-02T12:38:15Z")
No, I don’t believe children should be punished ---
**Author:** ![ages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@ages](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/ages)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 1:08pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/32 "2026-10-02T13:08:25Z")
Yet you feel ‘people weren’t punished enough before’ is part of the reason why there will be an increase in crime. Can you spot and see the contradiction and/or inconsistency here? ---
**Author:** ![Vox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/2acd7d/32.png) [@Vox](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Vox)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 2:27pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/33 "2026-10-02T14:27:03Z")
Yes, yes I can. It’s not that they need to be punished. It’s that the punishment needs to be so high that its a deterrent. Doesn’t mean it has to be physical punishment, but there needs to be some sort of deterrent. For example if your in a small village in the middle of desert with a very harsh climate then the deterrent could be that if you were to do a bad enough act you would get sent out into the desert to try and live on your own. ---
**Author:** ![Kit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc29f/32.png) [@Kit](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Kit)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 2:29pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/34 "2026-10-02T14:29:41Z")
This “problem” of yours is a self-created problem of pretending one can extirpate their instincts. ---
**Author:** ![ages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@ages](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/ages)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 10:44pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/35 "2026-10-02T22:44:12Z")
> [@Vox](#): > > Yes, yes I can. It’s not that they need to be punished. It’s that the punishment needs to be so high that its a deterrent. So, what I see and hear you say now is, to be a deterrent the punishment to children needs to be ‘so high’, is this now correct? > [@Vox](#): > > Doesn’t mean it has to be physical punishment, but there needs to be some sort of deterrent. If the punishment needs to be so high, and the punishment is not physical punishment, then what punishment are you thinking about here, exactly? By the way, the deterrent that actually works is another matter. For now I am just trying understand adults views when they believe punisment is needed and/or needs to be so high. > [@Vox](#): > > For example if your in a small village in the middle of desert with a very harsh climate then the deterrent could be that if you were to do a bad enough act you would get sent out into the desert to try and live on your own. And this is not ‘physical punishment’ to you correct? If this is not ‘physical punishment’, is it ‘psychological punishment’ that children need to be so high that is the deterrent? ---
**Author:** ![Vox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/2acd7d/32.png) [@Vox](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Vox)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 12:23pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/36 "2026-10-03T12:23:06Z")
Yes, at least my idea of it is to make the punishment so high that no one does it. The point isn’t to actually have to give the punishment. ---
**Author:** ![Patterner](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/patterner/32/192_2.png) [@Patterner](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Patterner)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 2:25pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088/37 "2026-10-03T14:25:50Z")
As far as children go, their understanding of everything is still developing. I don’t imagine harsh punishments are needed. Having the rules explained clearly, with consistent positive and negative reinforcement, is the key. Raising children with harsh punishments is probably abuse, and results in adults who abuse their children. As opposed to resulting in adults who clearly explain the rules to their children, and give consistent positive and negative reinforcement. Unfortunately, we are surrounded by adults who were not raised with clear rules and consistent positive and negative reinforcement, as well as those who were abused as children. Very difficult to make adults change their feelings for things and behavior compared with raising children to feel and behave in positive ways. Harsh, consistent punishment might be the only way to deal with things at that point. But it won’t work overall. There have been, and still are, cultures where you know with certainty that, for example, getting caught stealing will get your hands cut off. Yet people still steal. Go figure. I think most people think they’re the exception who is smart enough to get away with it. [Previous page](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/my-first-philosophical-question-here/3088.md?page=1)