Most philosophy students will, at some stage of their studies, come across the paradox of the unexpected exam.
It reads something like this. The teacher comes in and tells the students to be prepared to sit for an exam next week. To make it particularly challenging the exact day of the exam will not be revealed - it is an unexpected exam.
The question is then asked: on which day will the exam be given?
the answer is never.
Let us suppose Friday is the last day of the week. then clearly it cannot be given on Friday for by 6pm on Thursday the students would know that Friday is the day of the exam and hence it will no longer be surprised. The last day the exam can therefore be held is on Thursday. But Thursday is ruled out for exatly the same reason as Friday was for again if by 6pm on Wednesday there has been no exam the students will reason well it cannot be Friday therefore it must be Thursday but it cannot be Thursday because then it would no longer be unexpected. The same logic applies to all the possible days so the answer to the original question is that there will be no exam.
The same logic applies to the Bali Bombers. They will be, according to the Indoensians, be unexpectedly executed some time before the middle of november say the 15Th of November as the absolute last possible day. Then by the same logic one can argue that they cannot be executed because it will not be an unexpected execution. So it is impossible for them to be executed unexpectedly

It would be good if the Bali Bombers were able to use the paradox to get their sentence commuted to a life sentence. Can we seriously argue that judicial murder is justified on the grounds that these three people murdered hundreds of innocent people? Far better that they spend the rest of their life isolated in prison with ample time to reflect.

Unfortunately, Baygon, the Bali bombers will not "spend the rest of their life isolated in prison". On the contrary, the Indonesian government has given them ample opportunities to promote their hateful ideology to the world's media, and would probably continue to do so.

If they truly were isolated in prison and unable to whip up the passions of susceptible people, it would be perfectly desirable for them to remain alive.

As it is, Amrozi et al have been allowed to continue to insult the memory of their victims ad nauseam.

Although I am an opponent of capital punishment, it is evident that the only way these murderous fanatics will be silenced is by their own brutal and hypocritical government.

3/11/8

The Indonesian Government today has granted
the Bali bombers another stay of execution.
Another one of their appeals is to be heard.

It seems that the Indonesian Government is
more interested in severe punishment for
drug smuggling but not for people who murder
innocents by the hundreds.

The paradox has no pertinence for the execution of the Bali bombers. Their execution is expected to be carried out, although the process of administering their punishment seems to be interminable.

The bombers may be surprised if the warders suddenly, without warning, enter their cells and take them to their execution. That 'without warning' would certainly fit one definition of 'unexpected', but these murderers know it's coming.

The bombers forfeited their lives when they commited mass murder of innocent people. Feeling sorry for them to suffer their fate is pointless. As Robin Harris, the now-deceased American stand up comedian used to say in many of his routines (referring to people who commit heinous crimes), 'when you gotta go, you gotta go'.

The Bali bombers richly deserve to die. They've gotta go. Don't cry for them.

The paradox is hypothetical. That problem is one of symantics.

Baygon,
I suspect that humans rights advocates would consider ‘isolation’ in prison only marginally more acceptable than capital punishment. In fact, as with the disciplining of children, I suspect it would difficult to device a punishment/corrective response that some or other more principled group would not find fault with.

These terrorists killed their victims by surprise ,with no warning ,and they should go the same way.
I suggest that at a random time from now (not too long )they should be
exploded by bang.
It could be filmed and put on youtube.

these three men are not much worried about dieing. one of the charms of religious fanaticism is confidence of going to heaven.

while they live they are heroes to a large number of people. there will be increasing numbers of bomb attacks for these two reasons, and the very important additional reason that the religious group can provide material support to the family of bombers.

westerners who wish to reduce the number of explosions going off in their midst would be wise to moderate their joy at retribution, for it is counter-productive, as well as misplaced.

police and military measures are fruitless responses to these expressions of rage against foreigners. find out why they are angry, and what can be done to soothe that anger. you may discover that you would be angry too, if positions were reversed.

DEMOS

"While they live they are heroes to a large number of people."

Once executed, they'll be elevated to martydom status. They'll be far more dangerous then than they ever were locked up in prison.

"Westerners who wish to reduce the number of explosions going off in their midst would be wise to moderate their joy at retribution, for it is counter-productive, as well as misplaced."

I agree. Applauding capital punishment, no matter how deserving the recipients might be, only serves to bring us down to the same low level as the acts being punished. Condoning this barbaric practice passes up the perfect opportunity to differentiate democratic governance from that of its detractors. Instead of showing the rest of the world how civilised and decent Western style democracy can be, we're ourselves stooping down to the gutter. Our hearts and minds are little different to those of any revenge-seeking suicide bomber.

"Police and military measures are fruitless responses to these expressions of rage against foreigners. find out why they are angry, and what can be done to soothe that anger. you may discover that you would be angry too, if positions were reversed."

Again, wise words, though unfortunately likely to fall on deaf ears I'm afraid. Hopefully, Barak Obama can lead the way through negotiation and become the much needed circuit breaker in this destructive cycle of attack and counter attack.

Well they’re gone – executed a short while ago, in the dead of night.

Agreed DEMOS and Bronwyn.

Yes, Ludwig, and with them, an opportune chance for our Prime Minister to reaffirm internationally Australia's opposition to the death penalty. Rudd stood on principle on this issue when seeking the top job. Once there, he's played it safe and gutlessly let a golden opportunity slip by.

Let's hope, Barak Obama's principles don't similarly desert him once he's comfortably ensconced in the top role. Somehow, I don't think they will.

If they do, I doubt any political candidate will inspire hope in me again. Cynicism will rule my dead heart!

Bronwyn: disillusioned with kevin rudd? I suggest it is time to search for a new illusion.
In the seventies I read a comment that if you and I were to get into the elevator with Brezhnev and Nixon they would have more in common with one another than with you or I.
Nothing has changed the common decency and recognition that to move forward we have to step out of the gutter of discontent and despair seems to be a view shared by normal folk - not those who aspire to or achieve high office.
The really sad thing is that those three bombers will not know that their ideology lied to them, used them shamelessly and even now seeks to exploit their memory; instead of waking up in heaven they are merely dead.

Apart from any other consideration - and there are many, including the power of martyrdom and the real possibility of retaliation - we have just lost the moral right to protest any future executions, of whatever citizenship, for whatever crime, anywhere in the world.

I only hope that the mother of the next idiot caught smuggling drugs remembers to thank our government for their vehement and solidly principled opposition to the death penalty.

Three bloody loud cheers