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.
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).
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.
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?
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.
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?
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.