Is it immoral even to consider the use of torture in some circumstances? If the State is threatened, should we be prepared to shelve human rights for an end we consider worthwhile? Raimond Gaita discusses a range of arguments about torture in this episode of Philosophy Bites.
Listen to Raimond Gaita on Torture
Read about a feature film based on Raimond Gaita's memoir Romulus, My Father
Im a person of contradiction. I always believe people should pay or suffer with the crime they did. However sometime when I'm hurt, I can feel the pain and I really hate it, I'm sure they will feel the same so if you ask me I have no idea. Yet, I do still strongly believe they should suffer with what they did.. wat do you guys think?
Posted by: ollie | March 31, 2008 at 05:21 AM
Gaita never answered the question directly, "Is there ever a time where torture can be condoned?".
The question is very simple and yet his answer was a protracted speech about Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative and the Nazis. A tactical torture session in a high stakes race for critical data is in no way analogous to a dictator's genocidal regime and the only appeal here is emotional. Sure, Hitler was as evil as evil can be but this comparison is flawed on nearly every level.
If a violator took someone away from me who I cared deeply about - I would gladly murder them with my bare hands (to get back my person) and sleep well the same night with as much moral integrity (perhaps more) as I had when the day began. In fact, I'd bury them the next day and tell their family I'm sorry for what's happened.
For some people the profession of thinking betrays the reality we all face in a dangerous (by its nature, for us it's dangerous) world. We've all signed away quite a bit of freedom - the generalized social contract of the western world. The guarantee of safety by those limiting our freedom (maintaining the contract) is absolutely critical and WILL be insured by any means whether or not anyone ever finds out what means led to that end.
Jason
Posted by: Jason | May 29, 2008 at 05:07 AM
I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoy the idea of torturing terrorists and probably always will :P. But after listening to Darius Rejali, author of "Terrorism and Democracy", at http://www1.cuny.edu/forums/podcasts/?p=378 (a City University of New York podcast), I can no longer consider it a valid military or law enforcement strategy.
Posted by: Eric | December 05, 2008 at 02:17 PM
@ Jason
He did answer the question. If he thinks that the very thought of torture degrades the culture that harbors it, then obviously torture is never permissible to even consider.
Posted by: Audrey | January 16, 2012 at 07:05 AM