On: Hitman hires hitman who hires hitman who hires hitman who hires hitman

[andrewflnr]

You lost me at point 1. Punishment that varies randomly is unjust.

[mLuby → andrewflnr]

In other words, this function should be deterministic?

  (crime, mitigating_aggravating_factors) => punishment

I too would like to believe that's true, though I doubt it is.

[andrewflnr → mLuby]

It's what we should aim for. We definitely shouldn't predicate moral arguments on deliberate plans for non-deterministic punishment.