ipl-logo

Because Torture Is Wrong Analysis

381 Words2 Pages

In “Because It Is Wrong”: A Meditation on Torture the argument that is being made is torture is illegal because is wrong. The moral that this article presents is that there is no such thing as reasonable torture. In “Rules Should Govern Torture, Dershowitz Says” the argument the author thinks that torture is ever acceptable but in fact it has been used. The moral that this article presents is that we need to acknowledge what is being done and create rules, and have visibility and accountability. All three articles present similarities in all three articles they talk about the abuses to Abu Ghraib. “Because It Is Wrong”: A Meditation on Torture and “Rules Should Govern Torture, Dershowitz Says” talks about how the president has the authority …show more content…

The two authors consider of morality as the search for the highest good. They disagree about the definition of the highest good. For Kant a good will defined by duty, for Mill it is happiness understood as pleasure and absence of pain. According to Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Immanuel Kant: Metaphysics. (n.d.) “Kant's criticisms of utilitarianism have become famous enough to warrant some separate discussion. Utilitarian moral theories evaluate the moral worth of action on the basis of happiness that is produced by an action.” “The utilitarian theories are driven by the merely contingent inclination in humans for pleasure and happiness, not by the universal moral law dictated by reason.” “His ethical theory has been as influential as, if not more influential than, his work in epistemology and metaphysics. Most of Kant's work on ethics is presented in two works. The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785) is Kant's "search for and establishment of the supreme principle of morality." In The Critique of Practical Reason (1787) Kant attempts to unify his account of practical reason with his work in the Critique of Pure Reason. According to An Introduction to Utilitarianism. (n.d) “Mill criticizes categorical imperative; stating that it is essentially the same as utilitarianism, since it involves calculating the good or bad

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of Torture's Terrible Toll By John Mccain

    848 Words  | 4 Pages

    Dershowitz, he is the author of the essay "The Case for Torture Warrants". Dershowitz is more in favor of torture than Young and McCain. He believes that an authority figure should make the decision to torture and only torture if a warrant is issued. He also believes in non-lethal torture that makes people uncomfortable but does not harm the individual. In his essay, he gives the example of the Israeli security service torturing a suspected terrorist by placing a "smelly sack over his head and shake him violently" (Dershowitz 687).

    Read More

  • Bob Brecher's Argument Analysis

    146 Words  | 1 Pages

    Bob Brecher’s argument is centered around being a counter-claim to Dershowitz’ Ticking Bomb scenario. The counter-claim argues that a ticking bomb scenario, as described by Dershowtiz, is unlikely to occur in the real world, due to the difficulty in apprehending a terrorist after the terrorist plot has been set in motion, but has not yet been fully executed. Even if the authorities are lucky enough to apprehend the suspect before the ticking bomb has been set to detonate, it is improbable that torture would result in the suspect revealing the plot before the bomb goes off. Brecher additionally argues that Dershowitz’ idea of using legalized torture warrants to limit torture would, on the contrary, lead to the abuse of the torture warrant system.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Torture's Terrible Toll, By John Mccain

    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.

    Read More

  • Heymann's Expository Essay

    701 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Authorizing torture is a bad and dangerous idea that can easily be made to sound plausible.” This is a shockingly true statement. Heymann’s purpose in writing this article is to persuade readers to agree with him that torture should not be authorized. Heymann uses the persuasive appeal of pathos primarily in this article to convince his readers to agree with him. Although that is not to say he did not use other forms of persuasive appeal, heymann also used Logos and Ethos, just not as strongly as Pathos.

    Read More

  • False Confessions In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

    1125 Words  | 5 Pages

    Over one-fourth of the cases overturned each year are due to a forced confession (Innocence Project). Yet, forced confessions due to intense interrogation are prevalent throughout the investigative community. Interrogation is not only used in investigations today but was also used during The Salem Witch Trials which can be seen in Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible. Due to the use of interrogation and the presence of false confessions in investigations, it is necessary to examine the following research question: To what degree are the Salem Witch Trials affected by forced confessions?

    Read More

  • Ethical Dilemmas: The Decision To Drop The Atomic Bomb

    1990 Words  | 8 Pages

    I will also explain why I believe Kant’s theory is the most appropriate theory when answering moral questions in general. I believe that, although difficult, President Truman made the correct decision in deploying the atomic bomb on Japan. My opinion falls in line with Mill’s moral theory of Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist moral theory that focuses on the use of maximizing one’s utility for the best consequences for the

    Read More

  • Ethical Arguments Against Torture

    1032 Words  | 5 Pages

    2016). Using this ethical framework to argue against torture, one needs to consider the violation of the terrorist’s rights. Utilitarians argue that under a scenario where thousands of people are in danger, the well-being of the larger community is more important than neglecting the rights of a single individual (Krauthammer 2005). The simple idea of taking away a person’s autonomy for the sake of others violates rights ethics. To comprehend the violation upon the victim’s rights, it is important to understand how torture feels, “Brian describes his body as having become an object… pain is the central reality; it dominates experience and expression (Wisnewski 2010, 81).”

    Read More

  • Summary: The Effectiveness Of Torture

    1854 Words  | 8 Pages

    In discussions of torture, one controversial issue has been whether torture is an effective mean to gain information from terrorists. On the one hand, many people would argue that torture is a very effective mean to gain information. On the other hand, there is a large amount of people who contends that torture is not the only means to gain the same information. My own view is that there are better ways to gain information from terrorists other than torturing them. I disagree with torture being an effective mean to gain information because; as recent research has shown it can be ineffective.

    Read More

  • Medieval Torture Cruel

    1088 Words  | 5 Pages

    In medieval times, torture was used to punish criminals, deter crime, and gather information. There were many different types of tortures, most of which were brutal and painful. At the time, torture was deemed necessary to maintain order. Laws were harsh and torture was severe, but effective form of punishment. Despite its effectiveness, torture was often an unfair and extremely cruel punishment, and should have been eliminated in all forms.

    Read More

  • Terrorism: A Critique Of Excuses

    1055 Words  | 5 Pages

    Dershowitz argues that there are two ways to deal with a ticking bomb terrorist, besides doing nothing and letting innocent people die. These options include continuing to torture behind closed door or to utilize torture and make this information open to the

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis: The Case For Torture By Michael Levin

    918 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the reading “The Case for Torture” written by Michael Levin, and published on the June 7th, 1982 edition of Newsweek. Levin argues in favor of torture as an acceptable way of obtaining information when innocent lives are at stake. Outlining three separate scenarios devised to make the reader reconsider the stance on torturer in order to protect the interest of those in the western area. The strength of this text is that the absence of reasoning does not strike the reader; he is overcome by Levin’s ability to break ethical decisions down to black and white. Levin begins with describing torture as “morally mandatory”.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Torture Myth '

    1050 Words  | 5 Pages

    While analyzing “The Torture Myth” and “The Case for Torture”, it is very clear to see the type of rhetorical appeals used to persuade the audience. Anne Applebaum, the writer of “The Torture Myth” --in context of the decision of electing a new Attorney General--would argue that torture is very seldomly effective, violates a person’s rights, and should be outlawed due to the irrational need upon which physical torture is used. On the other hand, Michael Levin strongly argues that physical torture is crucial to solving every imminent danger to civilians. Levin claims that if you don’t physically torture someone, you are being weak and want to allow innocent people to die over something that could have been simply done.

    Read More

  • Examples Of American Exceptionalism

    1429 Words  | 6 Pages

    Regarding tortures conducted by American military in Iraq, Ignatieff (Ibid, p.24) indicates the U.S.’s self-contradiction by stating “a country that thinks it is too virtuous, too exceptional, to pay respect to the Geneva Conventions and begins to write its own rules about detention, interrogation, and special status can end up violating every value it holds dear”. Hancock (2007, p.53) also wrote that, while human rights violations in friendly countries are overlooked “as counter terrorism, cultural diversity, necessary acts of self-defense, unproved allegations, tragic mistakes or as regrettable exceptions to an otherwise improving trend” and those acts in “states of peripheral concern to Washington policymakers” are simply ignored even if those are severe, those in enemy counties are “selectively highlighted…as proof of evil and repressive regimes”. Thus, the U.S. has created its own standards distinctively applied to itself and its allies, and its enemies (Hoffmann, 2005; Ignatieff, 2005; Hancock, 2007), and the language of human rights has utilized as technique to legitimize the standards and foreign policies based on those standards (Hancock,

    Read More

  • Techniques Used In Michael Levin's The Case For Torture

    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.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis: The Case For Torture By Michael Levin

    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.

    Read More

More about Because Torture Is Wrong Analysis

Open Document