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Title: “EUROPEAN RIGHT TO BE FORGOTTEN: POLICY RAMIFICATIONS”.
Creator: Rodriguez, Celine, Tunick, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: In 28 European countries, removing personal data from the Internet is as simple as filling out a form online by anyone claiming a ‘right to be forgotten’. Most decisions regarding data removal are left to companies who operate search engines like Google and Microsoft, with little judicial involvement beyond the appeals process. I analyze how removal of information from Internet search results may negatively affect historical accuracy, free speech and the public interest. I will argue that the...
Show moreIn 28 European countries, removing personal data from the Internet is as simple as filling out a form online by anyone claiming a ‘right to be forgotten’. Most decisions regarding data removal are left to companies who operate search engines like Google and Microsoft, with little judicial involvement beyond the appeals process. I analyze how removal of information from Internet search results may negatively affect historical accuracy, free speech and the public interest. I will argue that the European courts should have more involvement, and I propose alternative ways to implement the right to be forgotten that will be less overreaching than current policies. These suggestions aim to decrease the current number of data removal cases to provide a more manageable caseload for European courts to handle, and lessen the role played by companies such as Google in deciding whether or not to erase search engine results online.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012606
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: ‘They’re Just Kids: The Case Against Adult Sentencing for Juvenile Offenders’.
Creator: Bleck, Renise, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: Nathaniel Brazill, when 13, fatally shot one of his schoolteachers. Brazill was tried as an adult and sentenced to 28 years in prison without the possibility of parole. Such harsh sentences for such young offenders seem drastic and unfair, therefore I argue that the juvenile justice system should take not a punitive but a rehabilitative approach to minors. I first discuss different theories of why society punishes and whether they apply to the way juveniles are punished today. Drawing on...
Show moreNathaniel Brazill, when 13, fatally shot one of his schoolteachers. Brazill was tried as an adult and sentenced to 28 years in prison without the possibility of parole. Such harsh sentences for such young offenders seem drastic and unfair, therefore I argue that the juvenile justice system should take not a punitive but a rehabilitative approach to minors. I first discuss different theories of why society punishes and whether they apply to the way juveniles are punished today. Drawing on research in psychology, I detail key cognitive differences between minors and adults to argue that juveniles have no place in adult correctional facilities as they are not designed to cater to the special needs of growing adolescents and expose them to harsher conditions than are found in juvenile facilities. Finally, I propose an alternative strategy that focuses more on prevention or the rehabilitation of convicted juveniles rather than punishing them.
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Date Issued: 2023
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00245
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A Defendant's Sixth Amendment Right to Jury Nullification.
Creator: Smith, Jeremiah Shank, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Jury nullification is defined as a "Jury's knowing and deliberate rejection of the evidence, or refusal to apply the law" (Black's Law Dictionary). Originally, U.S. jurisprudence recognized a juror's power to nullify a law as a necessary element of an impartial jury. However, U.S. courts have since been evolving an increasingly prohibitive stance regarding jury nullification. After careful examination of common law, U.S. case law, and analysis of legal and political theories which shaped the...
Show moreJury nullification is defined as a "Jury's knowing and deliberate rejection of the evidence, or refusal to apply the law" (Black's Law Dictionary). Originally, U.S. jurisprudence recognized a juror's power to nullify a law as a necessary element of an impartial jury. However, U.S. courts have since been evolving an increasingly prohibitive stance regarding jury nullification. After careful examination of common law, U.S. case law, and analysis of legal and political theories which shaped the U.S. judicial system, I argue that a defendant's sixth amendment right will always be violated when a jury is prohibited from knowing its power of nullification and/or when a juror is reprimanded for exercising the nullification power.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003693
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: AN INDEFINITE PUNISHMENT AFTER JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED: JONES V. GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA IS A FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED DECISION.
Creator: Russo, Alexandra, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: The right to vote is a fundamental part of a representative democracy. As of 2020, 48 states have laws limiting a felon’s participation in the franchise, resulting in 5.2 million United States citizens being unable to vote. In 2018, Florida passed Amendment 4 with a 65% popular vote, allowing felons to be re-enfranchised after the terms of their sentence are completed. In 2019, the state enacted a law defining “terms of the sentence” to include court costs and fees, barring indigent felons...
Show moreThe right to vote is a fundamental part of a representative democracy. As of 2020, 48 states have laws limiting a felon’s participation in the franchise, resulting in 5.2 million United States citizens being unable to vote. In 2018, Florida passed Amendment 4 with a 65% popular vote, allowing felons to be re-enfranchised after the terms of their sentence are completed. In 2019, the state enacted a law defining “terms of the sentence” to include court costs and fees, barring indigent felons from regaining their constitutional right. In Jones v. Governor of Florida, Judge Pryor upheld this law. I critically evaluate the majority and concurring opinions. I will argue the opinion is flawed for failing to use intermediate scrutiny, and by appealing to social contract theory, and theories of punishment. I argue that the law not only fails to serve a legitimate governmental interest, but undermines democracy, perpetuates racial disparities, and makes felons an unequal party in the social contract solely because of their indigent status.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00214
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: DACA ELIGIBLE STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THIS COUNTRY AND SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR ADVANTAGES LIKE FINANCIAL AID.
Creator: Vázquez, Selene C., Tunick, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: The United States is founded on the principles of liberty, democracy and equality. Many individuals leave their home countries in the hope of enjoying these American ideals. The young children who are brought along on the journey quickly assimilate, yet as they grow older society teaches them they are different. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an executive order, allows certain unauthorized immigrants who entered the country as minors to receive a renewable deferred action from...
Show moreThe United States is founded on the principles of liberty, democracy and equality. Many individuals leave their home countries in the hope of enjoying these American ideals. The young children who are brought along on the journey quickly assimilate, yet as they grow older society teaches them they are different. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an executive order, allows certain unauthorized immigrants who entered the country as minors to receive a renewable deferred action from deportation and a work permit. Drawing on legal scholarship and works of political theory, I argue that if these minors can prove they are people of good moral character, exemplary students and positively contribute to our society, then they should not be inhibited from pursuing higher education but rather should be afforded the same advantages as the rest of the children they grew up among.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012644
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: DIGNITY AND RESPECT: THE AMERICAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM’S TREATMENT OF ITS PRISONERS.
Creator: Sealy, Renee Danielle, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: Notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer terrorized and killed his victims in the 1980’s. Some argue that criminals like Dahmer who commit gruesome acts forfeit their right to be treated as a human being. I argue instead that while criminals like Dahmer should not be respected, they should be treated with dignity. Dignity is an inherent value assigned to a person because they are human beings. Respect, in the sense of admiration, is not inherently owed to all human beings. Respect is earned,...
Show moreNotorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer terrorized and killed his victims in the 1980’s. Some argue that criminals like Dahmer who commit gruesome acts forfeit their right to be treated as a human being. I argue instead that while criminals like Dahmer should not be respected, they should be treated with dignity. Dignity is an inherent value assigned to a person because they are human beings. Respect, in the sense of admiration, is not inherently owed to all human beings. Respect is earned, and can be forfeited by criminals as a result of their wrongdoings. I propose ways that the American criminal justice system should be reformed so that we still treat criminals with dignity even if we don’t respect them.
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Date Issued: 2023
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00274
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: EYEWITNESS MEMORY: MANNER OF MOTION IN PERPETRATOR IDENTIFICATION.
Creator: Perry, Jonathan, Tunick, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Eyewitness testimony is a common form of evidence in the legal system. People generally identify suspects based on characteristics such as their appearance, clothes, voice, and even writing style. But what if you could identify someone based on the way they move (e.g., the way in which they walk)? To determine if identification based on movement would be practical and legally allowed, I examined the legal implications of identification that pertain to the Fifth Amendment, as well as the...
Show moreEyewitness testimony is a common form of evidence in the legal system. People generally identify suspects based on characteristics such as their appearance, clothes, voice, and even writing style. But what if you could identify someone based on the way they move (e.g., the way in which they walk)? To determine if identification based on movement would be practical and legally allowed, I examined the legal implications of identification that pertain to the Fifth Amendment, as well as the appropriate scientific applicability test based on movement. I also conducted an experiment to evaluate the reliability of such identifications based on movement.
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Date Issued: 2018
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00041
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Factors of Voter Turnout: Effects of Habit, Social Pressure, and Gerrymandering on Voting Behavior.
Creator: Gibbons, Aubrie, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: Voter turnout is an essential metric for the health of a democracy; however, our nation has a particularly low rate of voter turnout. This thesis explores the relationship between turnout and three factors that may affect it: voting habit, social pressure, and gerrymandering. In an effort to understand and boost turnout, political scientists have studied whether gerrymandering may decrease turnout by lowering voter efficacy and confidence. While evidence for this theory remains unclear,...
Show moreVoter turnout is an essential metric for the health of a democracy; however, our nation has a particularly low rate of voter turnout. This thesis explores the relationship between turnout and three factors that may affect it: voting habit, social pressure, and gerrymandering. In an effort to understand and boost turnout, political scientists have studied whether gerrymandering may decrease turnout by lowering voter efficacy and confidence. While evidence for this theory remains unclear, studies of the formation of voting habit and effects of social influence imply that turnout efforts with a normative approach may be more effective in raising voter participation long-term.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00197
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: FORCED STERILIZATION: THE BLURRED LINE BETWEEN JUSTIFIED AND ILLEGITIMATE COERCION.
Creator: Román, Rosa M.E., Tunick, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Ninety years ago, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Virginia statute allowing state actors to forcibly sterilize those with hereditary forms of intellectual disability, in Buck v. Bell. Fifteen years later, the Court readdressed the concept of compulsory sterilization in the 1942 case, Skinner v. Oklahoma. Skinner v. Oklahoma failed to overturn Buck v. Bell, and as a result, the Supreme Court left an opening for state actors to forcibly sterilize members of their population....
Show moreNinety years ago, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Virginia statute allowing state actors to forcibly sterilize those with hereditary forms of intellectual disability, in Buck v. Bell. Fifteen years later, the Court readdressed the concept of compulsory sterilization in the 1942 case, Skinner v. Oklahoma. Skinner v. Oklahoma failed to overturn Buck v. Bell, and as a result, the Supreme Court left an opening for state actors to forcibly sterilize members of their population. I consider the history of forced sterilization and the broad spectrum of views present today. In questioning if there’s a right to procreate, this thesis concentrates on various scenarios when compelling state interests are so strong that the infringement of that right may be warranted. If an individual were to waive that right, at what point should the means of coercion be deemed illegitimate?
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012635
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Funding the Fundamental Right to a Legal Defense.
Creator: Mello, Raven, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Vernon, Laura
Abstract/Description: The Sixth Amendment of the Constitution guarantees all United States citizens the right to a fair trial. However, that right has not been made equally accessible to all defendants in the criminal justice system due to the underfunding of Public Defender’s offices nationwide. This thesis examines the impact of this underfunding on indigent criminal defendants and analyzes social psychology research to understand the psychological biases that help explain this underfunding, and how they might...
Show moreThe Sixth Amendment of the Constitution guarantees all United States citizens the right to a fair trial. However, that right has not been made equally accessible to all defendants in the criminal justice system due to the underfunding of Public Defender’s offices nationwide. This thesis examines the impact of this underfunding on indigent criminal defendants and analyzes social psychology research to understand the psychological biases that help explain this underfunding, and how they might be overcome. Evidence suggests that the disproportionate government expenditure on the State Attorney and underfunding of the Public Defender has led to a skewed legal system that favors not only the prosecutor, but also the white, abled, and wealthy. I argue that to support a criminal justice system that aligns with the values of equality and justice, the Public Defender must be properly funded to fulfill its adversarial role.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00151
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: GUILTY BUT INSANE?: THE CASE OF JOHN HINCKLEY.
Creator: Coppin, Shanece, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: On March 30th, 1981, John Hinckley tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan using a .22 caliber revolver. As a result, he wounded Reagan, Secret Service Agent Tim McCarthy, police officer Thomas Delahanty, and White House Press Secretary James Brady (who was left permanently disabled and died in 2014 from his gunshot injuries). Hinckley did so to grab the attention of Jodie Foster from the film Taxi Driver. Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and placed into psychiatric...
Show moreOn March 30th, 1981, John Hinckley tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan using a .22 caliber revolver. As a result, he wounded Reagan, Secret Service Agent Tim McCarthy, police officer Thomas Delahanty, and White House Press Secretary James Brady (who was left permanently disabled and died in 2014 from his gunshot injuries). Hinckley did so to grab the attention of Jodie Foster from the film Taxi Driver. Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and placed into psychiatric care. I argue that Hinkley should be found guilty but insane under the retributive theory of punishment. After discussing Hinckley’s background leading up to the attempted assassination of Reagan, I explain two ethical theories of punishment (utilitarianism and retributivism). Then, I address how they would rule in Hinckley’s case. Lastly, I will defend the retributive theory, and argue that it would support a guilty but insane verdict.
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Date Issued: 2023
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00247
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: GUNS AND TIMES: ORIGINALISM AND THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISION IN NEW YORK STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION, INC. V. BRUEN, 597 U.S. ___ (2022).
Creator: Gray, Haven, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: The recent United States Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, 597 U.S. ___ (2022), written by Justice Clarence Thomas, established that states enacting restrictions on the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms must now demonstrate that their restrictions are “consistent with the Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation”. The notion that the Supreme Court should defer to historical sentiments and the perceived original intent of...
Show moreThe recent United States Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, 597 U.S. ___ (2022), written by Justice Clarence Thomas, established that states enacting restrictions on the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms must now demonstrate that their restrictions are “consistent with the Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation”. The notion that the Supreme Court should defer to historical sentiments and the perceived original intent of the framers of the Constitution is known as originalism and is becoming increasingly prevalent in the decisions of the Court. Originalism fails in that it requires U.S. Supreme Court justices to rely on biased amicus curiae briefs and an incomplete understanding of history when rendering their decisions. I will argue that Justice Thomas’s appeal to historical understandings in NYSRPA v. Bruen is not only a flawed theory of constitutional interpretation, but also historically inaccurate.
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Date Issued: 2023
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00258
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: IMMORAL BUT NOT ILLEGAL: A DEFENSE FOR MICHELLE CARTER.
Creator: Ricketts, Kahlil, Tunick, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Charged with involuntary manslaughter, Michelle Carter was said to have used text exchanges and phone conversations to “coerce” her boyfriend, Conrad Roy, into committing suicide. But is Ms. Carter to blame for Mr. Roy’s death? By delving into the moral concepts of duty and coercion, and theories and case law concerning manslaughter and free speech, I argue that although Ms. Carter’s actions were not morally sound that does not mean that they were illegal and worthy of punishment.
Date Issued: 2018
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00043
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: OTHER NATURES: NON-HUMAN RIGHTS AND MORAL CONSIDERATION.
Creator: D’Amore, James G., Tunick, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Theories addressing rights ascription and moral consideration have historically often focused on humans as the singular objects of moral agency. I examine the reasoning behind this focus to discover the degree to which non-human animals and artificial intelligence machines should be considered rational beings deserving of both moral consideration and legal personhood, on-par with a human. The disconnect between the moral consideration and rights ascription bestowed on profoundly-handicapped...
Show moreTheories addressing rights ascription and moral consideration have historically often focused on humans as the singular objects of moral agency. I examine the reasoning behind this focus to discover the degree to which non-human animals and artificial intelligence machines should be considered rational beings deserving of both moral consideration and legal personhood, on-par with a human. The disconnect between the moral consideration and rights ascription bestowed on profoundly-handicapped humans, anomalously-rational non-human animals, and AI machines of similar abilities is representative of anthropocentric speciesism and must be corrected if rational ability is the motivating force behind moral consideration and rights ascription. By removing the group affiliations or classifications of any being, we can create a more dynamic legal rights ascription system that only takes into account the abilities of the individual and their relevance within a given society. This new system serves to more accurately accommodate and represent anomalous beings of any species.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012602
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: POLICING AND PRIVACY: THE USE OF BODY WORN CAMERAS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
Creator: Kaye, Ian, Tunick, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: There is an apparent dilemma concerning the interactions between law enforcement personnel and civilians. In certain instances, law enforcement officers have acted brutally and unlawfully against suspects, or civilians have reported false claims of excessive force. A possible solution to reduce these problems is a policy requiring officers to wear Body Worn Cameras (BWC) while on duty. BWC’s have the potential to diminish excessive force in altercations between law enforcers and the general...
Show moreThere is an apparent dilemma concerning the interactions between law enforcement personnel and civilians. In certain instances, law enforcement officers have acted brutally and unlawfully against suspects, or civilians have reported false claims of excessive force. A possible solution to reduce these problems is a policy requiring officers to wear Body Worn Cameras (BWC) while on duty. BWC’s have the potential to diminish excessive force in altercations between law enforcers and the general population. A claim of excessive force or unacceptable behavior and brutality can be disputed or confirmed with video evidence, although video cameras are not completely reliable due to their easy manipulation. BWCs offer a seemingly effective solution to dissuade improper conduct from both law enforcement and civilians. But they can be considered an invasion of an officer’s or civilian’s privacy. I argue that we can work around this dilemma by employing BWC’s under policy guidelines that protect the privacy of the officer and the civilian.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012627
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Post 9-11 identity politics of Muslim Americans.
Creator: Shaikh, Hinah, Tunick, Mark, Njambi, Wairimũ N., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Many would argue that September 11, 2001 was another example of the incompatibility of western and Islamic civilizations. I argue that post-9/11 perceptions of Muslims and Muslim women are based on powerful and denigrating constructions of Muslim identities
Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003533
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Privacy as an Atmosphere of Freedom.
Creator: Faris, Andrew, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: One of the great challenges of liberal society is determining the balance between the interests of society and individual freedom. Courts often have a difficult choice between conflicting interests like privacy and freedom of speech. When this happens, it is important that courts do not overlook one of these vital interests in favor of another that may be equally important but less understood. The philosopher John Stuart Mill is a well-known advocate of complete freedom of speech, so much so...
Show moreOne of the great challenges of liberal society is determining the balance between the interests of society and individual freedom. Courts often have a difficult choice between conflicting interests like privacy and freedom of speech. When this happens, it is important that courts do not overlook one of these vital interests in favor of another that may be equally important but less understood. The philosopher John Stuart Mill is a well-known advocate of complete freedom of speech, so much so that he has been quoted to this effect by the Supreme Court, which has valued free speech over privacy. However, Mill would not necessarily sacrifice privacy for freedom of speech. Privacy is of great importance both explicitly and implicitly in Mill’s philosophy because it protects a sphere in which individuals can act freely, determine, and implement their lifestyle. Mill would take great care not to damage either of these interests.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003670
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Privacy, Punishment, and Criminal Background Checks.
Creator: Donahoe, Seth, Tunick, Mark, Jakee, Keith, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: I argue that widespread use of criminal background checks has a privacy implication and fosters unjust punishment for ex-offenders. A criminal conviction has a twofold effect on the offender: judicial punishment in the form of court fees, incarceration, and similar court orders that temporarily restrict individual liberty; and non-judicial punishment in the form of social stigmatization attached to an arrest and/or conviction that marginalize the offender from society. Background checks...
Show moreI argue that widespread use of criminal background checks has a privacy implication and fosters unjust punishment for ex-offenders. A criminal conviction has a twofold effect on the offender: judicial punishment in the form of court fees, incarceration, and similar court orders that temporarily restrict individual liberty; and non-judicial punishment in the form of social stigmatization attached to an arrest and/or conviction that marginalize the offender from society. Background checks indefinitely hinder reintegration by inhibiting the ex-offenders’ ability to obtain employment, housing and social acceptance. Permitting widespread use of background checks mismanages the intersection of privacy rights for the ex-offender and the 1st Amendment. I conclude by suggesting that a revised system modeled after European criminal background procedures would create a better balance between the ex-offender’s right to privacy and society’s interest in accessing public facts.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003614
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Self-Driving Cars and the Value of Human Life.
Creator: Nissan, Madison, Tunick, Mark, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: There are several different normative ethical frameworks one can use for determining or measuring the value of a human life, including deontological and utilitarian theories on how we ought to make decisions regarding which lives have more value. I intend to evaluate these frameworks and apply them to the problem of self driving cars, which pose both ethical and legal issues. These cars will have to be programmed to make decisions in the case of emergency situations, and the question of who...
Show moreThere are several different normative ethical frameworks one can use for determining or measuring the value of a human life, including deontological and utilitarian theories on how we ought to make decisions regarding which lives have more value. I intend to evaluate these frameworks and apply them to the problem of self driving cars, which pose both ethical and legal issues. These cars will have to be programmed to make decisions in the case of emergency situations, and the question of who and how we should be programming these vehicles to best promote the common good is a difficult one. I will argue that utilitarianism is the best way to make decisions in the case of choosing between 2 lives, and that self-driving cars should be programmed to do the least damage possible, even if that means sacrificing the life of the passenger. In addition, I will argue for the programming of self-driving cars to be uniform across manufacturers, with liability generally falling on the manufacturer in cases of injury or malfunction.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00153
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Should Religious Fundamentalists be Held Culpable for Their Crimes? An Analysis of the Psychological and Societal Effects of Hyper-Religiosity.
Creator: Natale, Giuliana, Tunick, Mark, Vernon, Laura, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: My research was used to determine if religiously-motivated criminal offenders should be held culpable and how offenders should be punished in a court of law. Some who commit religiously motivated crimes do not do so of their own volition (e.g., those born into a cult), some are not legally competent to stand trial, and some qualify to claim insanity by both legal and psychological standards. Psychological and social pressures exerted by cults (e.g., deindividuation) can interfere with moral...
Show moreMy research was used to determine if religiously-motivated criminal offenders should be held culpable and how offenders should be punished in a court of law. Some who commit religiously motivated crimes do not do so of their own volition (e.g., those born into a cult), some are not legally competent to stand trial, and some qualify to claim insanity by both legal and psychological standards. Psychological and social pressures exerted by cults (e.g., deindividuation) can interfere with moral and legal reasoning of the offender. I argue that only those individuals with awareness of the legality of their actions and ability to freely choose their actions should be held culpable for religiously-motivated crimes.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003684
Format: Document (PDF)

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