Torture is one of the most extreme methods of eliciting information; unfortunately, it has been used for centuries and is still prevalent worldwide.
Thesis: Counterterrorism through interrogation is wrong and leads to false information.
Scientific Perspective
In 2006 the Intelligence Science Board, a civilian board that advises the U.S. Department of Defense on technical and scientific matters, stated that there was information to support the declaration that torture produces reliable information. Shane O’Mara, a neurobiologist associated with Trinity College in Dublin, analyzed the interrogation methods of the Bush administration. O’Mara refers to such techniques as “folk psychology,” and “are unlikely to do anything other than the opposite of that intended by coercive or ‘enhance’ interrogation.” To recall data accumulated in the brain, it is necessary to activate the prefrontal cortex, site intentionality, and hippocampus, where long-term memory is stored. When one is under stress, a hormone is released which limits cognition including that contained within the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. This was documented in a study of Special Forces soldiers who had been deprived of food and sleep, which significantly diminished their ability to recall previously retained information. O’Mara related this to waterboarding, stating that it is “an extreme stressor and has the potential to elicit widespread stress-induced changes in the brain.”
Under stress, the nucleus that stimulates fear and anxiety is triggered and impairs the ability to differentiate between true and false memories. As a result torture triggers irregular patterns in the frontal and temporal lobes, subsequently impairing memory. Consequently, a question t...
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...hinks the interrogator wants to hear."[4] Torture is not only ineffective in obtaining both accurate and useful information, but also makes it more difficult to obtain future coöperate from that source. It is likely to be counter productive since a defeated enemy is less likely to surrender if he understands that his captor will torture him. Instead, he will resist, making his capture more costly. Conversely, humane treatment encourages surrender (Conroy, 2000, p. 115). Furthermore, torture elicits wide-ranging consequences by damaging the reputation of the offender, by creating hostility toward its civilians and military, provides justification for reprisal against its population and undermines the nations creditability when it takes a moral position on human rights. Any ostensible benefits of enhanced interrogation must be weighted against these proven costs.
The notion that fear will make a human leak information is not a novel idea. Torture has widely been used throughout the world by many groups of people. After World War II, The Geneva Convention prohibited any nation from partaking in torture. The emergence of terrorist activity on American soil brought up the question whether torture should be advocated or prohibited from a moral standpoint. The US changed the definition of torture in order to forcibly attain potentially important information from captives. Even though the new clause suggested that many of the methods the US used were now legal, other countries still had an issue in terms of honoring the Geneva Convention and basic human rights. Advocates for torture promise that countless innocent lives can be saved from the information obtained from a single torture victim. Opponents to the advocates suggest that torture often results in misleading information. Morally, torture is not justified as it degrades humans and often leaves victims scarred for life and possibly dead.
Torture, as defined by the Oxford dictionary is the action of forcing a person to expose something through pain and suffering (“Definition of Torture in English”, 1). It has been a very effective means of extracting information. The practice of torture was originally used on slaves to increase productivity. It later proved to be an efficient approach to force individuals to disclose information. Many civilizations have used this practice throughout history, each with their own unique way. The Greeks used a technique known as the brazen bull. This approach consisted of a victim to be placed in an iron bull and steamed alive (Blinderman, 1). A very gruesome and agonizing approach but widely accepted at the time because it delivered results. Torture, though a controversial topic today, should be acceptable, because firstly, it can lead to the gathering crucial intelligence, secondly, it is a quick approach to gain said information, and finally, it is can be sanctioned in an ethical aspect.
It is morally and ethically unjustifiable to resort to torture, no matter what the scenario might be. In this case, if you are not getting reliable information while interrogating the prisoner; then you are most likely not going to get reliable information while torturing the prisoner. The prisoner is most likely going to give you information that you want to hear, so you will stop with the torture. The decision to not torture the prisoner might leave thousands of lives at stake if he still refuses to give reliable information during interrogation. Then again, if you torture the prisoner and he gives us unreliable information, thousands of people are still going to die.
In today’s society there are many issues surrounding the topic of torture. There are two sides to this argument. One side would be that torture should never be used, the other side would be that torture should be used if it is absolutely necessary. Many times when torture is used it is used to get information out of an individual. On many occasions people hear of torture being used on terrorists that have been captured. Torture is also used on Soldiers that have been captured during war. During times of war torture is often used by both sides to gain an advantage over the other side. The use of torture is a widely debated topic in today’s world.
Torture (Latin torquere, “to twist”), in law, infliction of severe bodily pain either as punishment, or to compel a person to confess to a crime, or to give evidence in a judicial proceeding. Among primitive peoples, torture has been used as a means of ordeal and to punish captured enemies. Examination by torture, often called the “question,” has been used in many countries as a judicial method. It involves using instruments to extort evidence from unwilling witnesses.
People may try to justify its use by claiming it can be used to gain critical information or in similar situations; this is a feeble attempt to use possible results in order to justify the terrible use of torture as a means of getting there. To deontology, torture is morally wrong, and more than that, it is always morally wrong. There is no situation in which torture should be used, period. The way torture grossly outstrips people’s human autonomy and right to be treated as ends in themselves makes it a moral evil in the eyes of deontology. In addition, torture’s maxim of allowing for one person to harm another for gain is also not universalizable, making it an even more morally corrupt action. Deontology examines the critical question of whether or not there are times humanity should allow atrocities of torture in order to achieve an end. Deontology answers with a stern and resounding disapproval of torture. This ethical system sees every person as valuable, equal, and autonomous, who should never be abused or manipulated for any reason. With this virtuous sensibility in mind, it is easy to see why deontology so firmly rejects torture as ever being
Torture, the most extreme form of human violence, resulting in both physical and psychological consequences. A technique of interrogation that has been proven time and time again to not only be ineffective but also a waste of time. Studies have shown that not only does torture psychologically damage the mind of the victim, but also can hurt the inflictor. If there is proof that torture is useless, why do we still use it? Torture should not be used to get information out of prisoners because of the risk of false information, enemy resistance and utter uselessness.
"Should It Be Legal to Torture a Suspect for Information?" The Premier Online Debate Website.
Torture is the act of inflicting severe physical or psychological pain, and/or injury to a person (or animal) usually to one who is physically restrained and is unable to defend against what is being done to them. It has ancient origins and still continues today. The torture debate is a controversial subject to modern society. Because it is such a complex subject, many debatable issues come from it. For example, many have debated whether torture is effective in obtaining the truth, affects the torturers, threatens the international standing of the United States, or undermines justice. Others include what qualifies as torture, or whether or not the United States should set an example by not torturing. The two opposing claims to this topic would be: (a) that torture should always be illegal because it is immoral and cruel and goes against the international treaties signed by the U.S. and torture and inhuman treatment, and (b) yes, torture is acceptable when needed. Why not do to terrorists what they are so good at doing to so many others?
Applebaum 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...
Though torture and enhanced interrogation are similar in that they both force information from captured individuals, they are basically different due to motives as well as extreme measures used. Enhanced interrogation is used by the United States for certain interrogation methods including “walling, facial hold, facial slap, cramped confinement, wall standing, stress positions, sleep deprivation, and water boarding” (Quigley 3). This method of interrogation is protected against international criminal prosecution. However, torture is known as the practice of inflicting “cruel, inhumane, degrading infliction of severe pain” (Beehner 1) and is “often used to punish, to obtain information or a confession, to take revenge on a person or persons or create terror and fear” (Quiroga 7). Like enhanced interrogation, torture can be used to retrieve information. However, the motive of using torture is not always to save lives. Although enhanced interrogation us...
Torture involves lots of violence and is illegal in the United States. It is a technique used by the government to get information out of a criminal or terrorist. The United States uses torture by going out of the country and setting up bases perform it. Many people have been very hurt and sometimes killed. Enhanced Interrogation Techniques must be stopped because it is illegal to torture a prisoner in the United States and the technique has hurt many innocent people.
In his essay “The Case for Torture,” printed in The Norton Reader 13th Edition, Michael Levin argues that torture is justified and necessary under extreme circumstance. He believes that if a person accepts torture to be justified under extreme cases, then the person automatically accepts torture. Levin presents weak argument and he mostly relies on hypothetical scenarios. There is not concrete evidence that torture solves problems and stop crime but rather the contrary. Under international law, torture is illegal and all the United Nation members have to abide by those rules. The use of torture does not keep people safe, but rather the opposite. Torture has a profound effect on democracy. As the use of torture becomes normal in society, the right of the citizen will suffer greatly.
Interrogation is a technique used by the U.S. military and Department Of Defense in order to get prisoners, terrorist, and terrorist sympathizers to communicate information with our counter intelligence in order to save the lives of many. The means that are used to gain information and save lives, many do not agree with. What if I said that the prisoners that are being interrogate or tortured could potentially kill their family. Would these people change their minds on how they look at our interrogation techniques? “All is fair in love and war” (John Lyly (1507), Jill Kokemuller. Demand Media) Having served in the United States Navy myself, I believe we should use any and all ways possible in order to gather information about attacks against the United States Of America.
Torture is the process of inflicting pain upon other people in order to force them to say something against their own will. The word “torture” comes from the Latin word “torquere,” which means to twist. Torture can not only be psychologically but mentally painful. Before the Enlightenment, it was perfectly legal to torture individuals but nowadays, it is illegal to torture anyone under any circumstances. In this essay, I will demonstrate why torture should never acceptable, not matter the condition.