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Michael Levin's The Case For Torture

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In “The Case for Torture,” Michael Levin’s argument points out his beliefs in thinking that torture is justified in most cases. His statements throughout the article are pointed to more of a one sided approach in saying that it is barbaric, but is really supporting in the ways torture can be useful. To people that would disagree with the author’s points in the argument, Levin provides a good outlet to both sides that are pro-torture and non-torture, but, he goes more into thinking that it is unwise. To Levin’s understanding torture can only be used to save innocent people’s lives. His article has many provocative statements that make you question whether or not torture is a good way to find out about lifesaving intel or just to be used for …show more content…

In his article he tends to use terrorists behind his reasoning for the use of torture which are solid reasons, but instead he could use actual statistics in those instances where he stated those opinions. By Levin saying that torturing a terrorist is unconstitutional but, do millions of lives outweigh constitutionality, then, could torture be considered barbaric? Torture could be a useful tool in the war on terror by finding out information that could be used to save innocent lives and most kidnapping cases. John W. Schiemann, author of the study on torture and a political scientist at Fairleigh Dickinson University, found that information gained from torture techniques when they are employed, they are found to generate even small amounts of valuable information within the practice. ("Interrogational Torture” Effective or Purely Sadistic?" 1). One of the reasons why torture is listed in a grey area is because of the unwillingness to do what would be necessary to gain information even if it proves to be …show more content…

Torture should definitely not be used as a main support of information even if Levin uses stances to bolster his argument such as this, “Suppose a terrorist group kidnapped a newborn baby from a hospital. I asked four mothers if they would approve of torturing kidnappers if that were necessary to get their own newborns back. All said, “yes”, the most "liberal" adding that she would like to administer it herself.” (The Case for Torture 1). In this case, just because they were to use torture as a means to finding their kidnapped babies what he fails to mention in his article is that if they were given the chance to do so, that they could go too far and end up killing the kidnapper, which could have been an ulterior motive behind the mother’s reasoning to do so. If it were to be used in such a manner, how could anybody really be stopped from abusing that power if it goes

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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

Marzieh Ghiasi is a female Muslim college student who wrote a rebuttal to Levin 's Case for Torture where she uses logic to deconstruct his argument and prove that torture is not an acceptable practice. Both of their papers are good arguments and have great points to support them, but ultimately, I would say that Levin’s argument on torture being morally acceptable is the better argument. Levin uses many examples and devices to fill his article with Pathos as Ghiasi has a Logos approach but doesn’t have very many devices throughout her article to support her argument. Levin uses many hyperbolic situations that he uses to explain when and why torture would be acceptable.

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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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1573 Words | 7 Pages

I feel as if the pain that a criminal would feel from being tortured, without any moral or ethical considerations, is worth it if it saves a life that would otherwise be lost. One response to the Dirty Case is that interrogative torture, such as the technique used by the officer on the kidnapper, is not effective. Steinhoff argues that this is incorrect because sometimes the torturer does get what he is looking for as in the Dirty Harry case. To further defend against this response, Stein a One-Million-Pains-To-One-Kill-Gun argument. With this argument, essentially a person is being shot at by an aggressor and is eventually going to be hit unless they were to fire a gun with a 1 in 1 million chance of immediately stunning the aggressor to avoid being killed.

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971 Words | 4 Pages

In Michael Levin's The Case for Torture, Levin provides an argument in which he discusses the significance of inflicting torture to perpetrators as a way of punishment. In his argument, he dispenses a critical approach into what he believes justifies torture in certain situations. Torture is assumed to be banned in our culture and the thought of it takes society back to the brutal ages. He argues that societies that are enlightened reject torture and the authoritative figure that engage in its application risk the displeasure of the United States. In his perspective, he provides instances in which wrongdoers put the lives of innocent people at risk and discusses the aspect of death and idealism.

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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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777 Words | 4 Pages

The readers can tell that in the book The Case Torture the author is for one side of the story and the arguments he makes through the whole story makes the readers think about the side that he chose. Just like in the first paragraph when the author said “suppose a terrorist has hidden an atomic bomb on Manhattan island which will detonate at noon on July 4 unless… (Here follow the usual demands for money and release of his friends from jail). Suppose, further, that he is caught at 10 A.M. of the fateful day, but- preferring death to failure- won’t disclose where the bomb is. ”(Lavin 605) The author give an example of when he feels like it would be right to use torture as a of getting the truth out, and in this example he is trying to persuade

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212 Words | 1 Pages

In this movie we have dealt a very important issue that threatened the lives of millions in the United States. Torture is regarded as wrong for many reasons. If we look to it from another point of view we can conclude that: Torturing the terrorist is unethical and can't be justified, but it can be understood, and it can be forgiven. Torturing the terrorist is unethical, but in this circumstance it is the 'right thing to do'.  Governments have used torture to keep themselves in power, to enforce their particular political philosophy, to remove opposition and to implement particular policies.

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962 Words | 4 Pages

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

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562 Words | 3 Pages

Honey bees help farmer help the environment Printing on paper in an opposite direction Honeybees are like an agricultural beastlike, same as bovine animals. Although honey bee colonies, threatened aside disease, pesticides along with other factors have declined precipitously over the years. Accordingly, the story independently is using them in a marketplace for honey approximative industry workers. Honeybees are amazing also, the adorable better community to apprehend that beyond bees, countless plants, as well as food crops, would die to be taken inoperative.

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885 Words | 4 Pages

Should Torture Ever be Justified? What is the overall view on the morality of torture? Are you an absolutist, one who holds absolute principles in political, philosophical, or theological matters, or one that strongly agrees or disagrees with the matter overall? Torture’s main purpose is to extract confessions, to terrorize people that are associated with people, to punish those that have been presumed as wrongdoers, and to amuse sadist or bullies.

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1194 Words | 5 Pages

Torture does work sometimes but most of the time it only angers the other person gives them false information which will waste billions of dollars, human life, and time that could be used to help save lives. Cia torture is a useless tactic because it provides useless information, it is expensive and is inhumane. We the people or the United states spend way to much money on Cia torture. Quartz media has found evidence that, The united states spends 380 million dollars a year just for cia torture that cover the black sites the people the food the equipment and everything else they need. Quartz Media.

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134 Words | 1 Pages

Today’s interrogations have limitations of what can be used. The government calls it clean torture for it leaves no lasting marks on the victim. For no permanent damage to be given, certain punishments are under time restraints but there are no limitations on

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