Last updated on: 2/4/2014 | Author: ProCon.org

Hugo Adam Bedau, PhD Biography

Title:
Late Fletcher Professor of Philosophy at Tufts University
Position:
Con to the question "Should the Death Penalty Be Allowed?"
Reasoning:

“Although my own opposition to the death penalty will be evident throughout, I have tried to keep my convictions from distorting my account of the views of those who disagree with me.

…An issue of judicially noticeable fact looms as to the necessity or non-necessity for the institution of capital punishment in view of the alternative and available programs including, but not limited to, sentence of imprisonment for a term of years or for life. If there is no necessity for the death penalty, then the death penalty, under the definition stated above, becomes unconstitutional and cannot be imposed legally…”

The Death Penalty in America: An Anthology, 1964
Theoretical Expertise Ranking:
    Experts
Individuals with MDs, JDs, PhDs, or equivalent advanced degrees in fields relevant to death penalty issues. Also top-level government officials (such as foreign leaders, US presidents, Founding Fathers, Supreme Court Justices, members of legislative bodies, cabinet members, military leaders, etc.) with positions relevant to death penalty issues.
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • Recipient, Roger Baldwin Award, ACLU of Massachusetts, 2003
  • Emeritus Fletcher Professor, Philosophy, Tufts University, 1966-2012
  • Recipient, August Vollmer Award of the American Society of Criminology, 1997
  • Named Phi Beta Kappa Professor of Philosophy, 1994
  • Professor, Dartmouth College
  • Professor, Princeton University
  • Professor, Reed College
  • Founding Member, Chairman of the Board, & Board Member, National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
  • Member, ACLU
Education:
  • PhD, Harvard University, 1961
  • MA, Boston University
  • BA, University of Redlands
Other:
  • Died Aug. 13, 2012