Is free will a myth?

[Teeqoz]

Wright said:

Teeqoz said:

Well, not really.

It's especially important in punishment for crimes. In many (modern at that) countries today, people are still punished for the sake of punishing the one who comitted the crime. If there is no free will, then there is no rational reason for punishment for punishment's sake, and the only reason to punish criminals is to avoid crimes being comitted in the future, by the person himself, or by others.

 

Isn't...punishing the criminal an act of deterrence in almost every case, instead of your punishing because of yes scenario?

Deterrence is often part of the motivation, but like I said, in many modern countries, part of the reason for punishment is the punishment itself, regardless of how preventive it is.