Notice that under this definition punishing someone for a crime is a form of blackmail.
I’m not sure that’s a problem.
Or maybe: Change blackmail in the above to threat, and define blackmail as a threat not legitimized by social conventions.
Well, at least we’ve unpacked the concept of “default” into the concept of social conventions.
Or into a concept of ethics. Blackmail involves a threat of unethical punishment.
I think we can do better than that. In cases where the law is morally justified, punishing someone for a crime is retaliation. I think part of the intent of the concept of blackmail is that the threatened harm be unprovoked.
Notice that under this definition punishing someone for a crime is a form of blackmail.
I’m not sure that’s a problem.
Or maybe: Change blackmail in the above to threat, and define blackmail as a threat not legitimized by social conventions.
Well, at least we’ve unpacked the concept of “default” into the concept of social conventions.
Or into a concept of ethics. Blackmail involves a threat of unethical punishment.
I think we can do better than that. In cases where the law is morally justified, punishing someone for a crime is retaliation. I think part of the intent of the concept of blackmail is that the threatened harm be unprovoked.