The “small improvement problem” (“the Problem”) applies when no option in a comparison is best nor, it seems, are the options equal, because a small improvement to one would fail to make it the better choice. I argue that vagueness causes the Problem, such that the options are vaguely equal or vaguely “related.” I then unpack an important instance of the Problem, the comparison between a crime and a punishment upon which the ideal of a retributively deserved sentence is based. I argue that this comparison is not only vague, but remarkably vague, leading to an expansive array of “not undeserved” sentences. I conclude, however, that retributivism can only justify the least harmful “not undeserved” sentence.

中文翻译：

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模糊比较和比例量刑

“小改进问题”（“问题”）适用于比较中没有最好的选项，或者似乎选项相等的情况，因为对一个选项的小改进将无法使其成为更好的选择。我认为模糊性会导致问题，使得选项模糊相等或模糊“相关”。然后，我解开这个问题的一个重要实例，即犯罪与惩罚之间的比较，这是应得的报应判决的理想基础。我认为这种比较不仅含糊不清，而且非常含糊，导致出现大量“并非不应有”的句子。然而，我的结论是，报应主义只能证明危害最小“不应该”的句子。