POLS209, being a paper about dictatorships, touches upon the issue of torture in some lectures. Torture is a tool that has been used by many dictatorships in the past, and is commonly regarded as a "bad thing". Several academics, including David Sussman, have condemned it as being a crime morally worse than murder.
But is it really that bad?
Having recently watched an episode of Boston Legal where the protagonist Alan Shore wins a case by convincing the jury that torture really isn't that bad, I got to thinking about whether torture is really a bad thing (yes) and whether people think it is (not as clear). Shore (played by James Spader) remarked that the normally liberal Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz came up with the idea of "torture warrants" for cases where extreme force becomes 'justified', for example in the pursuit of information that could prevent a tragedy.
You might think this is bizarre, unjustified, and out of character. You might be right. Torture certainly seems morally repugnant.
However, half of America believes torture is justified.
Now that I've got your attention, this article from Iranian website PressTV.ir reveals the somewhat disturbing result that almost 50% of Americans surveyed "approve the use of such harsh techniques for interrogation". Another interesting link I dug up was a CNN survey about the correlation between attending church and supporting torture. 54% of regular churchgoers approved of torture in some situations as opposed to 42% of those who seldom attend church. So much for 'love thy neighbour'!
In other news, Bush administration officials are going to avoid prosecution for the so-called "tortore memos", which authorised techniques such as water-boarding (inducing the belief that the subject is drowning) . Here's the link to theTelegraph article.
So, let's get thinking: is torture really that bad? Can "ticking bomb" scenarios justify the use of torture in a broadly utilitarian sense, and does this go against our moral intuitions? When can we drop such ethical philosophies as the ethic of reciprocity to defend ourselves, the public, or 'national security'?
If democracies like the US condone the use of torture in some situations, what ideals are they defending? How can they claim to be "defending freedom" (see e.g. Bush) when it appears they will drop these ideals they supposedly uphold whenever it suits them?
I vote that it is made required viewing for anyone who posts figures from surveys that they watch Yes Prime Minister on Surveys on youtube.
ReplyDeleteA survey by an Iranian TV station is hardly likely to be unbiased... In any event must run to class. I will be back. Don't be scared, I'm not batman.
Awesome. Just reread the post. Thats a really cool post Tricky. Bloody easy to read and the links are a nice touch too.
ReplyDeleteTorture is a bit of a tricky issue eh. My position is no to torture as I feel that the potential negatives from torture far outweighs the potential benefits. Torturing innocent and even guilty people is excessive. Hmm I should really write an essay on this as I just cant think of what I want to say on a friday afternoon. Suffice to say torture is bad and don't trust surveys.
I think torture is a topic which is hard to comment about as because it is so far removed from what the majority of us know.
ReplyDeleteAs New Zealanders living in a liberal democratic country, torture or any means of pain or suffering as punishment is hard to even comprehend.We have never needed to be scared of our government. Any behavoiur which is contary to statute, will be punished in accordance to the rights protected in the Human Rights Act and the Bill of Rights Act. Indivdiual rights and freedoms are still considered.
Obvoiusly i believe torture isnt morally right. But I dont think I have more of an opinion than that, as is so beyond anything imaginable to me.
I suppose many people believe the old "you have to break eggs to make an omelette", the ends DO justify the means... That is, until it is they who are being tortured for information (whether it be true or false). People are morally opposed to torture until, I suppose, they believe that someone (i.e. terrorists??) pose a threat to their safety, in which case eggs must be broken!
ReplyDelete