A key premise of Nathanson's argument against "payback" retributivism is that murderers always deserve to die, whereas those who kill in self-defense do not.

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Nathanson argues against "payback" retributivism by challenging the idea that the punishment should exactly mirror the crime, suggesting that not all murderers necessarily deserve death, and that moral considerations, such as the circumstances under which the act was committed (e.g., self-defense), should influence the punishment.

A Key Premise of Nathanson's Argument Against "Payback" Retributivism Is