|
|
This is only a preview of the paper
Click here to register and get the full text.
Existing members click here to login
|
|
|
Torture: The Ticking Bomb
Throughout history, the definitions of human rights have been subject to speculation and dramatic change. ... Torture was used by the churches to redeem the sacrilegious and as a means of punishment of criminals. Although the use of torture today has been prohibited, arguments are still being made in its favor, claiming that it could be used in only the most extreme situations. There are three central reasons why torture should never be justifiably right. ... Secondly the fundamental of human rights from which civilization is based would be broken during the act of torture. Finally, if in one occasion torture is permitted, it will open the door to new arguments. Torture is reliant on the weakness of human will power, and the ability to, through pain and torment, get the victim to fold and meet your demands. When put in this sense, the act of torture sounds much like an act of terrorism.
When discussing the moralities of torture, a common theme always appears: “the ticking bomb scenario”. Originally presented by Michael Levin, the hypothetical situation is set up like this:
Suppose a terrorist has hidden an atomic bomb on Manhattan Island which will detonate at noon on July 4 unless . ... m on the fateful day, but preferring death to failure, wont disclose where the bomb is. ... Levin also assumes that torture will guarantee that the information is extracted from the culprit and that, the information will be the complete truth.
Geoffrey Abbot wrote a book bout many different accounts of torture in history, and more than once he tells a story of victims who’s courage allowed them to outlast the torture . ... In the past, torture would continue for weeks in order to gain the required information; two hours may be too short of a time to get the information and to defuse the bomb. More importantly, the captured terrorist may just be a messenger and have no real idea on how the diffuse the bomb. In this specific situation there are too many unknowns to consider for the physical torture to be morally justified.
Approximate Word count = 1688
Approximate Pages = 6.8
(250 words per page double spaced)
|
|
|
|
|
|