From: P
Sent: Friday, November 01, 2019 11:29 AM
To: Walter Block <[email protected]>
Subject: Persuading someone to commit suicide
Dear Prof. Block
What’s your analysis of the case where Michelle Carter, a teenage girl, persuaded her boyfriend to commit suicide? What’s the right punishment for her, if any?
You can see some of her texts to said boyfriend here:
Girl Who Persuaded Boyfriend To Commit Suicide With Vile Texts Imprisoned
Best regards,
P
From: Walter Block [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, November 01, 2019 1:26 PM
To: P
Subject: RE: Persuading someone to commit suicide
Dear P:
In my view, it all depends upon their ages. If both were adults, then I think she should not be punished, since she is not guilty of a crime.
If she is an adult, and he was not, then I think she should most certainly should be punished, since she is indeed guilty of a crime.
Matters get way more complicated if both were kids. Or, if a child advised an adult to commit suicide.
We once again, here, confront the continuum challenge. About which I wrote this:
Block, Walter E. and William Barnett II. 2008. “Continuums” Journal Etica e Politica / Ethics & Politics, Vol. 1, pp. 151-166, June; http://www2.units.it/~etica/; http://www2.units.it/~etica/2008_1/BLOCKBARNETT.pdf
Best regards,
Walter
2:42 am on November 27, 2019
