Journal of Legal Research

Journal of Legal Research

A Philosophical Inquiry into the Justification of Punishing One of Conjoined Twins

Document Type : Original Article

Author
PhD Student in Criminal Law & Criminology, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
Abstract
Since punishment results in the deprivation or restriction of a significant portion of individuals' fundamental rights, an act which is generally considered contrary to principle and prohibited, its imposition requires rational and theoretical justification. In this regard, two principal approaches, the retributivist and utilitarian theories, explain and justify punishment. The first approach views the commission of a crime as a violation of justice and morality and considers punishment a means for their restoration and reparation, whereas the second approach deems punishment justified by virtue of its preventive aims and the beneficial consequences it entails. Some contemporary philosophers of criminal law have sought to combine and formulate these two theories into new frameworks to remedy their deficiencies. This study aims to assess the feasibility of justifying the punishment of conjoined twins in a situation where only one twin is guilty and it is impossible to separate them, within the context of the aforementioned theories. Examining each theory individually and applying them to the subject reveals that no theory can justify punishing the guilty twin while simultaneously not punishing the innocent one. The study is foundational and takes a step towards developing the theoretical literature concerning the justification of punishment in specific and exceptional cases. Utilizing a descriptive-analytical method, the study seeks to elucidate the justificatory capacity of punishment philosophy theories when confronting challenging instances.
Keywords

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