Darrow argues that giving the boys the death penalty would be a barbaric act that is not in line with the audience's beliefs.
Explanation:
First, it's important to understand if Darrow wants the death penalty or not. He is not in favor of the death penalty. Killing someone for committing a crime, in his opinion, is the caveman's system of punishment. Any option that suggests the boys deserve or should receive the death penalty must be eliminated. This leaves the first and third options. Second, the purpose behind referring to history, philosophy, and the teaching of others is to talk about the audience's beliefs. A person's belief system is usually built from their culture which includes history, philosophy and the teaching they follow. Darrow is saying that all of these sources view the death penalty as barbaric.
