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Is Torture Ever Ethical?

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Many experts argue that torture is an unreliable means of getting useful information. Weighing the costs and benefits of the use of torture has been a topic of debate since the tragic events of 9/11. Since the American government decided that the use of torture to gain information from suspected terrorists in the aftermath attacks of that day. Is the use of torture ever ethical?
There have been endless debates for view for and against the use of torture to gather intelligence to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. So is the use of torture ever ethical? To help determine, let’s take a look at the views of two well-known philosophers John Stuart Mill and Immanuel Kant. Each of these philosophers had strong opinions and stances of …show more content…

To illustrate his point he uses the ticking time bomb theory, a bomb hidden somewhere in a public area and if not found hundreds of innocent lives will be lost if it’s not found and detonated. The suspected bomber is in custody and refuses to say where the bomb is. The terrorist refuses to disclose the bomb's location, should torture be used to elicit the information needed to save these lives? Mr. Harris would say yes, it is ethical, and that there will always be collateral damage when you venture into war and make no mistake we are waging a war on …show more content…

Many would disagree with his view, but consider this an act of torture doesn’t guarantee death or permanent injury to the person or persons being tortured. While the terrorist act in and of itself usually results in a major loss of innocent lives. If your family were to be impacted by this act of terror what would your view
By comparison, Charles and Gregory Fried, the father and son interviewed in 'Because It Is Wrong': A Meditation On Torture regarding their views on the use of torture are very different. Both are very literal in their thoughts, opinions and views; which they base on a precise interpretation of the Constitution and historical statements made by Presidents Washington and Lincoln.
Dr. Fried and his son go so far as to say even if torture were made legal it is still wrong and it dishonors our country to commit such acts which shows their extreme level of patriotism for our country and its history but isn’t very realistic. In my opinion to base your moral stance on such a narrow black and white view of the world we currently live in isn’t

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185 Words | 1 Pages

In the article “The Case for Torture”, Michael Levin argues that the use of torture as a way to save lives is justifiable and necessary. Levin draws a series of cases where torture might be acceptable so as to set certain precedent for the justification of torture in more realistic cases. HoweverLevin illustrates three cases where torture might be justifiable.he describes a terrorist keeping city of millions hostage to an atomic bomb, the second, a terrorist who has implanted remote bombs on a plane and the third, a terrorist who has kidnapped a baby. torture and its consequences have been recorded in countries around of world over a vast span of time, and for a variety of reasons. Levin makes no such attempt to expand his article beyond

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1694 Words | 7 Pages

Many have said that they would want nonlethal torture to be used in such cases but “did not want torture to be officially recognized by our legal system.” Similar statements have posited that while “torture might be necessary in a given situation it could never be right.” This approach, that of keeping torture off-the-books, is in direct conflict with the necessity for accountability and transparency in a democracy. A democracy cannot work if the public is kept in the dark. The public must know what is going on in order to approve or disapprove.

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699 Words | 3 Pages

Mahatma Gandhi, the preeminent leader of the Indian independence movement states “You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind.” This is important because torture is brutal on the body and mind. The article “Torture’s Terrible Toll” by John McCain is more convincing then the article “The Case for Torture” by Michael Levin because McCain provides more logical reasoning, he adds his own personal experience of being a captured prisoner during the Vietnam War, and he creates an emotional bond with people around the world. Through more logical reasoning McCain Argument is more valid than Levin.

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686 Words | 3 Pages

The Case for Torture Wins Torture is it morally acceptable? Many have debated this argument but I would like to bring up two main conflicting view points from Michael Levin, and Marzieh Ghisai. Michael Levin is a Jewish law professor who wrote The Case for Torture where he advocates where torture is acceptable in some circumstances.

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295 Words | 2 Pages

After finding some torture tactics, it helped me research about the negative effects of torture. In his article, “Torture is a Crime”, Curt Goering listed the negative effects of torture. He argues that torture is illegal, ineffective, immoral and makes those around us unsafe. Curt uses ethos in his piece to back up his main argument. For example, he mentions that in 1984, the UN adopted the Convention against torture and it was ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1990.

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515 Words | 3 Pages

In Michael Levin’s “The Case for Torture”, he uses many cases of emotional appeal to persuade the reader that torture is necessary in extreme cases. There are many terms/statements that stick with the reader throughout the essay so that they will have more attachment to what is being said. Levin is particularly leaning to an audience based in the United States because he uses an allusion to reference an event that happened within the states and will better relate to the people that were impacted by it. The emotional appeals used in this essay are used for the purpose of persuading the reader to agree that in extreme instances torture is necessary and the United States should begin considering it as a tactic for future cases of extremity. One major eye catching factor of this essay is the repetitive use of words that imply certain stigmas.

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1163 Words | 5 Pages

In the case that there is sufficient evidence of guilt as well as coconspirators, torture may be allowed but none that is inhumane. Document B: The Massachusetts Body of Liberties allows torture in the case that somebody is deemed guilty by clear evidence. In the Laws of Connecticut Colony, no torture is allowed whatsoever. Document C: Mather advises judges to continue the regular American method of obtaining confessions and to abstain from torture, for confusion is more likely to get a confession than torture. Document D: Henry warns that Congress will attempt to extort confession by practicing torture.

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371 Words | 2 Pages

Should President Logan have allowed CTU to interrogate Prado behind closed doors? I think no, primarily because any sentient being that is put under an extreme amount of mental or physical stress and pain will do anything possible to remove themselves from that situation. In this paper, I will argue why it is morally impermissible to torture by explaining the unjustifiable and unethical elements and why President Logan was right to not allow the interrogation. Torture, first and foremost is morally impermissible because it is unjustifiable.

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971 Words | 4 Pages

The author believes that the thoughts of enlightened societies are unwise and ascertains that there are situations whereby torture becomes morally mandatory in dealing with terrorists.

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1050 Words | 5 Pages

Applebaum has plenty of evidence to back up her claim that physical torture is not effective, and there are many other ways to obtain information. While the fear-encouraging and questioning elements are potent to many who are afraid of terror committed against them, but when the overwhelming sentiment of Levin’s argument is being compared to the logic and ethical points of Applebaum it is clear to see the superiority of her argument. Although Levin would advocate for physical torture in extreme situations, one must expect extreme consequences. Physical torture is rarely effective, violates rights, and damages a whole nation’s credibility. This is why physical torture should not be

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742 Words | 3 Pages

In the face of terrorism, one of the most pressing moral issues is the use of torture as a means of extracting information. The essay, “The Case for Torture”, by philosopher Michael Levin, is a persuasive piece about the morality and validity of torture in dire situations. To persuade readers of his opinion, the writer incorporates a formal vocabulary to elevate his argument, an informal point of view to redirect readers’ moral compass, and an informal and formal tone to strip terrorists of their rights. Throughout his essay, Levin uses a formal vocabulary to give himself authority on speaking about a controversial topic such as torture. As most western democracies, the writer’s audience, outright ban torture and regard it as cruel, Levin

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898 Words | 4 Pages

Question - What are some significant themes in your novel and how do these themes help us understand the world? Published in 1954, William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” (“LOF”) makes use of different themes in his novel such as primitive instincts, loss of innocence and fear. These themes help us understand modern society better. The novel delves deeper into how society would turn out without social etiquette or unspoken rules. For example, how society would break into chaos if people were to fall into their primitive instincts, and how fear could drive society to slowly descend into savagery and lose their innocence.

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Annotated Bibliography-“How effective is torture in obtaining information?” “Brown Note” Myth Busters. Discovery channel. Artarmon 16 Feb. 2005. Television.

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1055 Words | 5 Pages

In the Ethical Life, by Russ Shafer-Landau, chapters written by Michael Walzer and Alan Dershowitz express their knowledge and opinions on the topics of terrorism and torture. Is it possible to justify and defend such acts? In the chapter “Terrorism: A Critique of Excuses”, author Michael Walzer shuts down four excuses that attempt to justify terrorism. In the chapter, “Should the Ticking Bomb Terrorist Be Tortured?”, Alan Dershowitz defends his theory that it is necessary to torture a terrorist if that means saving the lives of innocent people while protecting their civil liberties and human rights at the same time. Terrorism can never be moral because it violates all “excuses” and torture is an acceptable tactic to save lives.

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1082 Words | 5 Pages

Most of the time when someone is tortured it is because the interrogators are desperate for Important or valuable information. However, why would real “terrorist” give up valuable information that would expose their cause and what they believe in when they know they are going to die one way or the other. This just goes to show that the “suspected terrorist” are in fact suspected and aren’t real terrorist and shouldn’t be

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