Is Torture Ever Justified?

[anthro-nerd]

In my eyes, NO. Absolutely not

But then I'm sure there are people who will disagree with me! Especially after having this conversation last night with a few of my friends...

[mikey4444]

NO !

[anthro-nerd]

It's the whole 'an eye for an eye' thing that keeps getting bought up. What if some awful human being did something truly horrific... is putting them in a cell enough?

[dannyk13]

Torture as a punishment, no, but torture to gain information that would lead to the saving of lives?

[anthro-nerd]

Ah Danny, see that's really interesting. It's a real moral dilemma!

[andy-hughes]

It depends whether you are on the giving or receiving end of torture, as to whether or not you can feel it is justified.

[Old_Geezer]

It can be argued for if abusing one person results in the avoidance of abuse to multiple others; but a) it doesn't always work, b) the one you are abusing may not know anything, and so it is difficult, in a real situation, to morally justify.

[zebo]

It also depends upon your definition of 'torture'.

[andres]

If someone commits a terrible crime such as pre- meditated murder then I believe in Capital punishment. I find it astonishing the number of people who prefer torture. By torture I mean they either want the murderer to be thrown to the other prisoners to be dealt with or keep them locked up for life which to me is inflicting mental torture.

[NoMercy]

Perhaps Mark Bridger should have been tortured, the evil piece of filth...

https://amp.theguardian.com/uk/2013/may/30/april-jones-murder-final-hours

[Mamyalynne]

My instant reaction is no, however as Danny points out - in order to save another might I be tempted?

Possibly - but purely as some kind of retribution then no.

[ummmm]

No. The Birmingham 6 and the Guilford 4 confessed to crimes they didn't commit due to torture. So...yes torture people if you want false confessions.

[andy-hughes]

andres - // If someone commits a terrible crime such as pre- meditated murder then I believe in Capital punishment. I find it astonishing the number of people who prefer torture. By torture I mean they either want the murderer to be thrown to the other prisoners to be dealt with or keep them locked up for life which to me is inflicting mental torture. //

I can see that your point widens the debate, but it is also in danger of side-tracking it as well.

I think for the purposes of this debate, we must accept that the term 'torture' is being used to describe the inflicting of physical pain in order to obtain information, or to deliver punishment.

If we go down the road of what constitutes 'torture' we could be clogged up with posts about being forced to listen to Coldplay, which will derail the thread entirely.

[Mamyalynne]

I'd like to add a scenario to explain my reply - a person has abducted your loved one and refuses to reveal their whereabouts - that would place me in a dilemma.

[dannyk13]

I was thinking on the lines of a captured terrorist who had planted a bomb but refused to say where.

[ludwig]

Hypothetical situation.

Some psycho has kidnapped a load of children and hidden them in a cellar where they're going to starve to death. He's happily admitting he's done this but refusing to say where it is.

To me torture would be justified to attempt to get that information if all else fails.

Whether it would be effective or not is another matter. Anyone will say anything to stop being tortured, but that wasn't the question.

[andy-hughes]

Ludwig - well argued.

The problem is, we can debate torture as a concept, and a moral dilemma, but in terms of practicalities, it can be seen as ineffective because, as you say, eventually someone will say anything which they think will stop the pain they are enduring from being increased.

[Ellipsis]

I'd try a "truth serum" first ...

http://www.businessinsider.com/is-there-such-a-thing-as-truth-serum-2014-10?IR=T

... but maybe injecting people with drugs against their will is also unjustifiable ...

[woofgang]

No I don’t think that torture is ever justified. If you can set aside all the moral non justifications then all that is left is whether it works which I understand it doesn’t.