Ticking Time Bomb Research Paper
analytical Essay
1640 words
The use of torture has become a prominent matter of dispute as we enter an age of the global war on terror. The debate on whether it has become morally permissible to torture terrorists is argued by many as the legitimacy of such actions are brought into question in a world where global terror is outstanding. With the use of the ticking time bomb scenario, some make a desirable case that in special circumstances, there is a right to torture individuals implicated is acts of mass violence. Yet many would still argue that there are an array of inconsistencies hidden within the ticking bomb scenario and there are no circumstances where torture can be morally permissible, no matter what the consequences may hold.
The ticking time bomb scenario is simplistic. A bomb has been planted in a highly populated city, we don't know where it has been situated but we have the suspected terrorist in custody. Time is running out and we have no answers to the location. The ticking time bomb scenario outlines that in this situation, it would be justifiable to torture the suspect if it meant saving thousands of lives. (Buffachi, Arrigo, 2006) This scenario indicates various reasons to legitimise torture and provides desirable and even heroic qualities in committing the act. Though it initially appears as a persuasive argument of heroic actions of the good of thousands over the good of the one, it raises several issues on whether or not it is still morally permissible to torture no matter what the scenario implies. Though the morality of the act in this scenario is riddled with inconsistencies and fictitious outcomes, it has become the prime support in arguments that justify the use of torture in the 21st century war on terror.
Some would say th...
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... of allowing torture to take place in these exceptions alone creates grounds to reject the scenario based on the wider consequences of allowing torture to become routine. Many arguments on why the scenario does not give anyone the right to torture a suspect also stem from the assumptions that the suspect is indeed guilty of the crime and that they will indeed deliver the information needed. Bufacchi & Arrigo (2006) agree with this assumption but would also depict that because no one else has yet to propose a quicker fix to the ticking bomb scenario without torture, it is the winning idea because it is the best they have. (pg. 367) Yet, this cannot justify the use of torture on an individual because not only is it a direct violation of their basic rights as a human being, there are too many factors to account in the scenario to completely justify the use of torture.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that charles krauthammer's specialised group of individuals with knowledge in torture would create a type of torture culture in society and legitimise its use.
- Analyzes krauthammer's idea of limiting torture techniques to specialised individuals and creating a torture culture conflicts significantly with the right of torturing individuals in extreme circumstances.
- Analyzes how henry shue's ticking time bomb theory is deceptive in its means of producing an argumentative point in favour of torture.
- Analyzes how shue claims that the ticking time bomb scenario removes negative features from the example to make it appear better than what it really is.
- Analyzes how vittorio beffachi and jean maria arrigo's (2006) critique of the scenario outlines that the ticking bomb theory is based on heavy assumptions with little fact to support it.
- Analyzes bellamy's claim that torture can lead to slippage in the war in terror. the ticking time bomb provided a sense of normality to the issue and can become recurring within interrogations.
- Argues that allowing torture to take place in these exceptions creates grounds to reject the scenario based on the wider consequences of torture becoming routine.
- Argues that torture is morally permissible in the 21st century war on terror. the ticking time bomb scenario is simplistic.
Related
- analytical
- opinion
- narrative
- explanatory
- argumentative
- Alan Dershowitz challenges the legitimization of non-lethal torture in his essay, “Should the Ticking Bomb Terrorist be tortured?” He claims that torture should indeed be legitimized for specific scenarios that require such action. The ticking bomb terrorist gives the example of a terrorist withholding time-sensitive information that could result in the death of innocent citizens, if not shared. Not only does Dershowitz challenge the idea of torture, but he also gives a probable solution that favors the legitimization the torture. He mentions three values that would have to be complied with by all three branches of government if it were to be legitimated, which Dershowitz does endorse. The arguments of the two perspectives discussed in the
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how alan dershowitz challenges the legitimization of non-lethal torture in his essay, "should the ticking bomb terrorist be tortured?"
- Analyzes dershowitz's analysis of the legitimization of torture, which contradicts progress and advocacy for human rights.
- Analyzes the ethical conflict that torture holds, and the issue of control that presents itself. after one nation accepts a new proposal, the actual torture will not be witnessed.
- Argues that the notion of legitimacy is missing the aspect of control. dershowitz introduces case utilitarian justification, which deems torture appropriate as long as the benefits outweigh the cost.
- Analyzes how dershowitz traces over to the opposing argument that favors the legitimacy of torture. the fortiori argument disputes for consistency of principles throughout time.
- Argues that dershowitz's argument is based on inevitability of torture, and the real debate is not whether or not torture should be legalized.
- Agrees with alan dershowitz' system of torture. dissolution honors all three values by refusing exclusion of the knowledge. civil liberties and human rights are preserved by knowledge and torture in the legal system.
1238 wordsRead More - The Torture Myth, by Anne Applebaumopinion essayApplebaum believes that torture should not be used as a means of gaining information from suspects. Applebaum's opinion is supported through details that the practice has not been proven optimally successful. After debating the topic, I have deliberated on agreeing with Applebaum's stance towards the torture policy. I personally agree with the thought to discontinue the practice of torture as a means of acquiring intel. I find it unacceptable that under the Bush Administration, the President decided prisoners to be considered exceptions to the Geneva Convention. As far as moral and ethical consideration, I do not believe that it is anyone's right to harm anyone else, especially if the tactic is not proven successful. After concluding an interview with Academic, Darius Rejali, Applebaum inserted that he had “recently trolled through French archives, found no clear examples of how torture helped the French in Algeria -- and they lost that war anyway.” There are alternative...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes anne applebaum's article, "the torture myth," which explores the controversial topic of torture practices, focused primarily in the united states.
- Opines that applebaum believes that torture should not be used as a means of gaining information from suspects.
- Opines that applebaum's argument for eliminating torture policy is that it constantly enables the enemy to build tolerance for the torture.
- Analyzes how applebaum asserts that society believes that torture is effective in acquiring valuable intel in times of need.
- Opines that until there is a credible way to determine whether or not torture is effective, the practice should be discontinued. applebaum explores the reality that torture possesses negative implications on the inflictor.
897 wordsRead More - Is Torture Justified Research Paperopinion essayAlthough this is a view seen by many people there is also those like me that believe it's a necessary evil, necessary in ways that can save countless lives in return for a little inhumanity shown against those that are showing no humanity themselves to others. According to Author of “The Ethics of Killing”,Jeff McMahan “Torture can be morally justifiable, and even obligatory, when it is wholly defensive – for example, when torturing a wrongdoer would prevent him from seriously harming innocent people”. Author Jeff McMahan agrees with those that believe torture is acceptable in a few situations. Commentator Charles Krauthammer from MLive media group argues the same that there are times when torture is the only choice. “Torture is an impermissible evil. Except under two circumstances. The first is the ticking time bomb. An innocent's life is at stake. The bad guy you have captured possesses information that could save this life. He refuses to divulge. In such a case, the choice is easy...The second exception to the no-torture rule is the extraction of information from a high-value enemy in possession of high-value information likely to save lives”. Another formidable lawyer and commentator, Sydney Kentridge, came up with a more sinister plot. “The nuclear device is ticking, we have a member of the terrorist group but we have also found his wife and children, may god forbid this situation ever arise but we would not only have the right to torture but we would have the duty to do
In this essay, the author
- Opines that torture is a barbaric and outdated way to deal with prisoners, but there are many countries that were caught still using torture like methods to gain valuable information.
- Opines that torture may be the only option to combat situations that come with it but there are also those who believe it is morally wrong no matter what.
- Opines that torture is an evil and barbaric way of interrogating people that should never be done on anyone no matter what the circumstance.
- Opines that many people feel the same way about torture being justifiable. cia and u.s. war crimes prosecutors have seen the benefits of torture.
- Concludes that the use of torture in the war against terror as an interrogation technique became part of a broader counter terrorism strategy, supported by the us and some of its allies.
1075 wordsRead More - Ethics Of Torture Essayanalytical essayAccording to Dershowitz, the ticking time bomb terrorist should be torture based on the overwhelming effects that can be prevented when dealing with a terrorist withholding crucial information that can save the lives of civilians. Though torture causes pain to one person, it can result in saving the lives of possibly thousands of people, an example of this being the 9/11 attacks involving Moussaoui. Moussaoui was brought in for questioning due to unusual activity in his flight schooling, but he was not
In this essay, the author
- Opines that torture should be acceptable when it is absolutely necessary, but those inflicting it must be held accountable for their actions by the government.
- Argues that the ticking time bomb terrorist should be tortured based on the overwhelming effects that can be prevented when dealing with a terrorist withholding crucial information.
- Analyzes how dershowitz argues for the use of torture from a point of view of act utilitarianism, which is the action that leads to the most happiness is morally right. bentham's theory is in favor of not using torture under any circumstance.
422 wordsRead More - Fight Terrorism without Infringing Human Rightsnarrative essay...al, Practical, and Legal Aspects of the 'Ticking Bomb' Justification for Torture", Oxford University Press, 2010.
In this essay, the author
- Describes moeckli, shah, and sivakumaran's "international human rights law", oup 2014 (2nd edition).
- Explains ginbar's book, "why not torture terrorists?: moral, practical, and legal aspects of the 'ticking bomb' justification.
- Explains that the fight against terrorism has always raised concerns about the methods used by states may infringe human rights.
- Cites murdoch j. and roche r., "the european convention on human rights and policing", council of europe, december 2013.
- Cites the report of the eminent jurists panel on terrorism, counter-terrorism and human rights, gearty and douzinas.
- Cites murdoch j. and roche r., "the european convention on human rights and policing" and gearty and douzinas (eds).
712 wordsRead More - The Benefits of Tortureopinion essayImagine awaking in the morning, going downstairs and preparing the morning meal. While enjoying the sunshine through the kitchen window along with a chai tea latte, the news on the television suddenly changes from the mundane to chaotic confusion. Disaster has struck! The implausible has just happened and the nation is in chaos. This disaster could happen at any moment and at any point across the globe. If the only method of prevention to this traumatic event is by the skilled technique of information extraction known as torture, would it not be the government’s obligation to the people to ensure this method of prevention was exercised? When considering the threat from extremists, the United States government must allow for the use of unorthodox interrogation methods, such as torture, when lives are on the line and time is of the essence.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the united states government must allow for unorthodox interrogation methods, such as torture, when lives are on the line and time is of the essence.
- Explains that the popular argument against torture methods in the united states deals with the assumption that terrorists look upon how we as a nation employ torture techniques and attempt to cite it against us.
- Argues that the torture debate is of little consequence to those who wish to harm america and is nothing more than a tool for them to exploit for their own recruiting purposes and public image.
- Explains that when people hear the word torture, they immediately retract and negative thoughts begin to form in their minds.
- Explains that enhanced interrogation techniques have their situational uses, such as the lauded ticking time bomb scenario.
- Opines that there is good reason to think that it is going to go in public.
- Opines that it is going to kill and maim dozens of people.
- Opines that torture should force them to reveal where they were tortured.
- Analyzes the moral justification of torture in the ticking time bomb case.
- Analyzes how richard posner's argument for enhanced interrogation against suspects of exceptional status adds a new dimension to the equation with the idea of torture warrants.
- Analyzes how the government has taken upon itself to deem what is right and appropriate in terms of a major event involving the nation.
- Opines that torture elicits dangerous and horrific thoughts, but there is equal proof that it has saved lives.
- Explains bagaric, mirko, and julie clarke. torture. when the unthinkable is morally permisible.
- Explains dershowitz, allen. why terrorism works: understanding the threat, responding to the challenge.
1788 wordsRead More - Torture and terrorismexplanatory essayTorturing of prisoners is necessary and one of the most used procedures of interrogation in the war on terrorism. Although some feel this method of interrogation is extreme it has been used for hundreds of years. And has been a key tool in the prevention of terrorist attacks. Since the 1970s the government gave the name terrorism to the acts committed against the country. And terrorists the name of the people committing these acts of violence. The prevention of the lives lost to terrorism is the most important concern when it comes to using torture to get information from the prisoners. Prisoners may give valuable information on an attack which may be prevented. Which may not have ...
In this essay, the author
- Opines that torturing prisoners is necessary because of the war on terrorism and will help prevent terrorist attacks against the united states.
- Explains that torture is one of the most used procedures of interrogation in the war on terrorism.
- Explains that torture can help prevent terrorist attacks and uncover unsolved information on previous attacks. waterboarding is the most effective method of interrogation.
- Explains that torture of prisoners is necessary because of the war on terrorism, which began in 2001.
- Opines that torturing prisoners is the most effective way to prevent terrorist attacks. the people lost in the 9/11 attack hit us hard and unified us as country.
562 wordsRead More - The Stranger Cultural Analysisanalytical essayBufacchi, Vittorio, and Laura Fairrie. "Execution as Torture." Peace Review 13.4 (2001): 511-517. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how albert camus' novel traces the life of a young clerk, meursault, in the 1940s.
- Analyzes how albert camus' novel, the stranger, shows that meursault detaches himself from his own emotions and from others, making him unable to experience normal human connections.
- Analyzes how scherr viewed meursault/camus as motivated by a freudian "death instinct" to kill the arab and (at least symbolically) camus's mother.
- Analyzes how raymond asks meursault to write a letter that will trick his girlfriend into coming back to him, giving raymond the opportunity to further abuse her.
- Analyzes how meursault's lack of interest toward life and the repressed rage erupts when he shoots the arab five times may result from the failure to achieve his goals despite his intelligence and education.
- Analyzes how the french based trials on character to ensure the criminal faced the right charges. meursault was put to death because of his character.
- Analyzes how the prosecution judged people back in the early 1900's on character and intelligence. meursault had enough intelligence to commit the crime, but lacked character so he was sentenced to death.
- Analyzes how meursault's lack of character and intelligence are more often remarked on than his stupidity or insanity. his boring job and failure to achieve what he hoped in school may be a contributing factor to his rage.
- Summarizes bufacchi, vittorio, and laura fairrie's peace review article, "execution as torture."
- Opines that camus, albert, and matthew ward. the stranger. new york: knopf, 1993.
- Opines that criminal statistics can still be of scientific use? the french criminal justice system 1813-1980.
- Analyzes scherr, arthur, "camus's the stranger." explicator 59.3 (2001): 149. academic search premier.
- States that scott, nathan a., albert camus. new york: hillary house, 1962. academic search premier. ebsco.
- Analyzes strange, alice j., "camus' the stranger." explicator 56.1 (1997): 36. academic search premier.
1858 wordsRead More - Critical Analysis Of Michael Levin's 'The Case For Torture'analytical essayLevin wants to change the negative views that society placed on torture so that, under extreme circumstances torture would be acceptable. He begins his essay with a brief description of why society views the topic of torture as a negative thing. He disagrees with those views, and presents three different cases in which he thinks torture must be carried out with provides few reasons to support his claim. He uses hypothetical cases that are very extreme to situations that we experience in our daily lives. From the start, Levin makes it perfectly clear to the reader that he accepts torture as a punishment. He tries to distinguish the difference between terrorists, and victims in order stop the talk of terrorist “right,” (648). Levin also explains that terrorists commit their crimes for publicity, and for that reason they should be identified and be tortured. He ends his essay by saying that torture is not threat to Western democracy but rather the opposite (Levin
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how michael levin's essay, "the case for torture," argues that torture is justified and necessary under extreme circumstances.
- Analyzes how levin argues in his essay that there are many reasons to allow torture to take place in the united states of america.
- Analyzes how levin relies on imagination and appeals to people's emotions and fears instead of providing facts. he illustrates hypothetical situations where violence of extreme cases justifies the abandoning of constitutional rights of people.
- Explains that the united nations has labeled torture as direct violation of its charter, and as a rejection of the universal declaration of human rights.
794 wordsRead More - The Ethics of Tortureargumentative essayMany people are hesitant of torture; however, state that torture is only acceptable under certain scenarios. Some hold that torture is morally permissible under certain distinct situations. For example, say Al Qaeda has installed a nuclear explosive in London, and set it to go off in a mere two hours. Thankfully, this cell of Al Qaeda has been flagged by law enforcement, and is under intense outside supervision. Law enforcement has a strong suspicion that a nuclear attack in about to happen. Therefore, they round up one of the members of the London cell, knowing that he has planned...
In this essay, the author
- Opines that torture is not ethical in any circumstance. the action matters in morality, not the consequence, and it fails the categorical imperative.
- Explains that many people are hesitant of torture, but hold that torture is morally permissible under certain distinct situations.
- Analyzes how henry shue qualifies torture as purely interrogational, meaning no serious harm will come of the person being tortured. the immorality of torture is not absolute, but conditional.
- Explains that kant's notion of good will is essential to the categorical imperative.
- Explains that kant's categorical imperative is an attempt to give respect to other humans that have the ability of making rational decisions and overriding their instincts. torture violates the dignity of the torture victim.
- Explains that humans need to realize that others can do their actions to them. torture is a thing that one could logically not want done to themselves.
- Concludes that torture has been used for years as a means to punish behavior and deter said behavior. torture fails all three formations of immanuel kant's categorical imperative and therefore humans have the duty not to torture.
1203 wordsRead More