Essay on The Morality of Torture - 1338 Words

The Morality of Torture The moral issue of torture is one that has come under scrutiny by many national and international organizations as of late. To talk about torture one must really understand what torture is. As taken from Dictionary.com â€Å"1.a. Infliction or severe physical pain as a means of punishment or coercion. b. An instrument or a method for inflicting such pain. 2. Excruciating physical or mental pain; agony. 3. Something causing severe pain or anguish.† This is just the literal meaning of the word but doesn’t entail the great horror that usually accompanies torture. As stated in the â€Å"Ticking Bomb† example given on the instruction sheets, â€Å"The interrogation won’t be pretty, and the prisoner may never recover. Shall we do†¦show more content†¦Mistreatment of people creates resentment and anger in the individual and his family, friends and community, and therefore any government-sanctioned torture here is certain to generate more hateful opponen ts of the US. The official use of torture by the President or another governing body in the U.S. (as given as a replacement on the instruction sheet for this paper) would nullify US efforts against torture abroad and undermine U.S. human rights policy. It also would signal to other governments that when faced with a special situation, any behavior is acceptable. It has been proven by organizations such as Human Rights Watch, United States Institute of Peace and The Crimes of War Project that legitimizing torture, even on a small scale, or any form of cruel treatment brings the principles and ethics that society is based on down. Especially if the U.S. uses it because to the rest of the world we are looked up to as the most law-biding nation, yet we bend the rules to fit each circumstance and look for the loop holes which brings further scrutiny on specific things such as; a POW not being a terrorist detainee and are somehow outside the realm of human rights laws against torture. Not only can torture be unproductive it can also work totally against a nation that uses it. For instance if the U.S. didn’t enforce the universally recognized right to not be tortured itShow MoreRelatedThe Morality Of Torture Is Always Morally Wrong977 Words   |  4 Pages The morality of torture has been debated for years. This paper will specifically discuss two articles of opposing viewpoints. David Gushee fervently argues against torture in his article Torture is Always Morally Wrong. In Torture is Moral When Inflicted for a Greater Good Patrick Buchanan argues in favor of torture. The latter of the two, presents the strongest case. Each article grapples the issue of torture in a unique perspective. Gushee’s bold stance against torture is clearly influenced byRead MoreThe Morality Of Torture On The Middle East Today And The War On Terrorism2356 Words   |  10 PagesMorality of Torture. With the issues going on in the Middle East today and the war on terrorism, the use of torture including murder, is a very widespread and controversial issue. Torture is viewed as morally wrong; therefore it is also legally wrong as well, not just on the home front but internationally as well (Is Torture Ever Justified). However, torture is sometimes not only right, but is needed for a greater good. With the case of torture you may not be able to see whether it is clearly wrongRead MoreThe Ethics of Torture Essay examples1206 Words   |  5 PagesThe institution of torture has been in existence for quite sometime; however, it was not always seen as an ethical question. In antiquity, the Romans employed something known as â€Å"the cat-of-nine-tails,† which was a flogging instrument with nine sharp ends. 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Torture can be used to prevent these terrible incidents and save the lives of many people. Torture in the United States has been a debatable subject for many years now but after resent tragedies, the idea of torture of many American citizens has changed. It has also been de bated over more after the attacks on September 9, 2001 than any other time in American history. Many fight the legalization of torture for moral and civil reasons but the truth is that torture is a lesser evilRead MoreTorture and National Security: A Moral Question Essay1388 Words   |  6 Pagesexistence of morals, why they are important, and to whom or for whom our moral responsibility lends itself. The curriculum is a comprehensive examination of these questions and successfully projects ideas about human morality that, depending on which text, either affirmed or questioned our morality. 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