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Poetry · Chapter
LIII explained
A brief philosophical dialogue between a philosopher and an officer, both asserting the absence of free will to justify the act of hanging.
What happens
A brief philosophical dialogue between a philosopher and an officer, both asserting the absence of free will to justify the act of hanging.
Key passages
“There's no free will,” says the philosopher; “To hang is most unjust.” “There is no free will,” assents the officer; “We hang because we must.””
A philosopher argues that hanging is unjust because free will does not exist, and an officer agrees, claiming they hang out of necessity rather than choice.
This exchange encapsulates a deterministic view of justice and punishment.