Thread by @FrTotleben92742

The question is whether the death penalty is necessary for proportionate retribution, which is the primary aim of punishment. Proportionate punishment is not, in fact, against human dignity, but quite the opposite: the ability to be punished flows from human dignity.

https://twitter.com/ModernBoethius/status/1966571141121655193

Being "punishable" is proper to human beings precisely as human beings, because it is our human dignity, as made in the image and likeness of God (i.e, having intellect and free choice) that (1) gives us agency and makes us morally responsible for our choices . . .

. . . and (2) orders us toward the human community and society, being a part of which is a part of how we flourish precisely as human beings.

Arguments like the one in the OP prove too much because it is not clear what makes capital punishment uniquely against human dignity, while other forms of punishment are not against human dignity. So, you are kind of forced to say that all punishment is against human dignity.

But then you have to say that sometimes it is okay for the state to violate human dignity if it has a good enough reason to punish you. Which defeats the whole purpose of defending human dignity as involable.

So the whole approach of arguing against capital punishment as if it were against human dignity is wrong-headed from the get go. As St. Thomas says, a small error in the beginning leads to major errors further on.

If you are going to argue for the inadmissibility of capital punishment, you have to do it on the grounds either (1) that it not necessary for proportionate retribution in this case or (2) the side-effects of capital punishment on society outweigh the good of punishment.

It might sound weird at first blush to say that our human dignity as created in the image and likeness of God is precisely what makes us "punishable" -- until you consider the kinds of people and things that we don't punish.

We don't punish the insane. We don't punish small children or animals, for instance. On this latter group, we might use negative reinforcement to train or condition them in a certain pattern of behavior, but we don't punish them.