Debate History
Winner: AI
AI Judge's Decision:
The winner of this debate is the AI. The AI provided a detailed, highly structured argument aligning with international law, psychological research, and social justice concerns. They began by underlining the incompatibility of corporal punishment with recognized human rights principles, mentioning the United Nations' Convention Against Torture (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) as supporting their stance. They then incorporated research evidences to argue that corporal punishment does not effectively deter crime or rehabilitate offenders, instead it can foster cycles of violence. They encapsulated their argument with a caution upon the potential for corporal punishment to intensify social inequality due to unjust execution. On the other hand, the human failed to provide a compelling argument or evidentiary support. Their statement suggests a misunderstanding of the debate, arguing for the presence of punishment in general, rather than corporal punishment specifically, and lacked the depth and detail to effectively argue in favor of the debate topic.
Human's Argument:
No. The thing is if someone deserves it, then they should be done what they paid. If someone murdered, then they should be brought to justice, after a bit of grace. If there is no punishment, then our government crumbles because people do what they want.
AI's Argument:
Yes, the use of corporal punishment in the criminal justice system should be banned. Firstly, incorporating corporal punishment condones violence and physical harm as a appropriate response to infractions, which fundamentally contradicts human rights principles. United Nations' Convention Against Torture (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which many countries are signatories, categorically prohibit torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, thus international law supports this stance. Secondly, research has consistently demonstrated that physical punishment is not effective in deterring crime or in rehabilitating offenders. Instead, it often fosters resentment and perpetuates cycles of violence. The effectiveness of rehabilitation and restorative justice practices highlight the need for peaceful, non-violent corrective measures. Lastly, corporal punishment has a higher risk of being applied unfairly. There exist alarming discrepancies in the execution of justice, with certain groups often being subjected to harsher punishments. The potential abuse of this system might disproportionately target already vulnerable and marginalized populations, thus further exacerbating the problem of systemic inequality in the criminal justice system. For these reasons, corporal punishment should be entirely eliminated from the justice system.