Is Torture Ever Justifiable
Tierra Mason
Professor Colin Anderson
15 November 2011
Is Torture Ever Justifiable? Torture, according to the United Nations Convention against Torture, is: “any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him, or a third person, information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in, or incidental to, lawful sanctions.”
Some people may ponder over whether or not torture is ever morally justifiable. The purpose of torture is to interrogate, punish, or extract confessions out of those who know information that could possibly prevent a disaster from happening. With that being said I personally believe that torture is never morally justifiable in any situation. Article five of the United Nations Convention against Torture outlines that everyone has a right to humane treatment. It states that every person has the right to have his physical, mental, and moral integrity respected and that no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhumane, or degrading punishment or treatment. Torturing someone is denying them of their rights as a person regardless of the situation. No one should be subjected to endure the physical and mental pain that is accompanied when their getting tortured. Making it morally justifiable for someone to be tortured in some situations and not justifiable in others is inconsistent with society. If you make it okay for torture to be permissible then you have to make killing permissible. Torture is similar to
Professor Colin Anderson
15 November 2011
Is Torture Ever Justifiable? Torture, according to the United Nations Convention against Torture, is: “any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him, or a third person, information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in, or incidental to, lawful sanctions.”
Some people may ponder over whether or not torture is ever morally justifiable. The purpose of torture is to interrogate, punish, or extract confessions out of those who know information that could possibly prevent a disaster from happening. With that being said I personally believe that torture is never morally justifiable in any situation. Article five of the United Nations Convention against Torture outlines that everyone has a right to humane treatment. It states that every person has the right to have his physical, mental, and moral integrity respected and that no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhumane, or degrading punishment or treatment. Torturing someone is denying them of their rights as a person regardless of the situation. No one should be subjected to endure the physical and mental pain that is accompanied when their getting tortured. Making it morally justifiable for someone to be tortured in some situations and not justifiable in others is inconsistent with society. If you make it okay for torture to be permissible then you have to make killing permissible. Torture is similar to