In the Defense of an Exception to Torture
The debate on the use of torture has drawn many to speak their minds on whether or not an exception should exist. Some, including Jaime Mayerfield in his publication “In Defense of the Absolute Prohibition of Torture”, argue that torture is never permissible and that there are no conditions under which torture can be justified. Others, like Charles Krauthammer in his article “The Truth about Torture,” say that the use of these ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ are permissible in certain circumstances. Within this discussion of torture, we will look at three ethical frameworks, namely those of rights, more specifically the right to not be injured, common good, doing what is best for a collective, and …show more content…
Here, we need the information as quickly as possible; torture should be used, albeit as a last resort when all other options have been considered and eliminated. Mayerfield would disagree; he asserts that the scenario could be ‘expanded’ to include non-TTB, the TTB itself is an event that has never actually occurred, and the information gained might not be accurate. The stance is understandable, as generals overseas may see many ‘ticking time bombs,’ we do not often hear of immediate terrorist attacks at home outside of popular media, and that telling interrogators what they want to hear to stop the pain is completely possible. However, Krauthammer argues the opposite; terrorists deserve no rights on the battlefield and in this day and age, TTB is common enough that the Israeli use it to describe such events, namely car and suicide bombers. Additionally, ‘extreme coercive interrogation’ can give correct information at times, and in the case of the prisoner Waxman, it would have impossible to find and save the target without it. While Mayerfield makes a good point about the exception being unnecessary due to the ‘lack of evidence and reason’ for it, Krauthammer’s position is stronger; if anything for the fact that if such an event did occur, an …show more content…
2008. In Defense of the Absolute Prohibition of Torture. Public Affairs Quarterly 22(2): 109-128.
Charles Krauthammer. 2005. The Truth About Torture. The Weekly Standard. December 5.
Manuel Velasquez, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer. 2014. Thinking Ethically: A Framework for Moral
The debate on the use of torture has drawn many to speak their minds on whether or not an exception should exist. Some, including Jaime Mayerfield in his publication “In Defense of the Absolute Prohibition of Torture”, argue that torture is never permissible and that there are no conditions under which torture can be justified. Others, like Charles Krauthammer in his article “The Truth about Torture,” say that the use of these ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ are permissible in certain circumstances. Within this discussion of torture, we will look at three ethical frameworks, namely those of rights, more specifically the right to not be injured, common good, doing what is best for a collective, and …show more content…
Here, we need the information as quickly as possible; torture should be used, albeit as a last resort when all other options have been considered and eliminated. Mayerfield would disagree; he asserts that the scenario could be ‘expanded’ to include non-TTB, the TTB itself is an event that has never actually occurred, and the information gained might not be accurate. The stance is understandable, as generals overseas may see many ‘ticking time bombs,’ we do not often hear of immediate terrorist attacks at home outside of popular media, and that telling interrogators what they want to hear to stop the pain is completely possible. However, Krauthammer argues the opposite; terrorists deserve no rights on the battlefield and in this day and age, TTB is common enough that the Israeli use it to describe such events, namely car and suicide bombers. Additionally, ‘extreme coercive interrogation’ can give correct information at times, and in the case of the prisoner Waxman, it would have impossible to find and save the target without it. While Mayerfield makes a good point about the exception being unnecessary due to the ‘lack of evidence and reason’ for it, Krauthammer’s position is stronger; if anything for the fact that if such an event did occur, an …show more content…
2008. In Defense of the Absolute Prohibition of Torture. Public Affairs Quarterly 22(2): 109-128.
Charles Krauthammer. 2005. The Truth About Torture. The Weekly Standard. December 5.
Manuel Velasquez, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer. 2014. Thinking Ethically: A Framework for Moral