TORTURE. Why do we balk at torturing those who have information and desire to destroy us?

Question

If my son knew about a terrosrist act that was going to happen and he would not give info about it, I would want him to be tortured till he gave it up. If i would let it happen to my son (who by being tortured might prevent loss of life), I am all for it with a stranger.

Just to clarify... I HATE BUSH

If yor son had the knowlege that would save thousands of lives.... You would not want that info....

Answer 1

Interesting question. It is easy to say you would allow your own son or daughter to be tortured but you might change your view if it actually was going to happen.

I will agree with you that torture can be a useful tool in gathering information.

The U.S. is probably the only country that is held to the Geneva Conventions rules. It seems most other countries don't have to follow them.

Answer 2

So what happens if they are torturing some woman's son without the knowledge that he knows something potentially dangerous? I mean if they already know why torture, and if they only suspect, then how many should be tortured on the suspicion that one may know?
Torture doesn't work with reliability, break a man and he will tell you anything, by the time you work out what is valid and what was said in desperation, and even what was said to make himself look more important, the time need to verify would negate the procedure.
We used to have morals in this country, having come here due to harsh measures in other countries we became known as a golden land, the attempts to turn us into just another country that tortures is an enormous affront to our ideals.
We have fought many wars, in many times, without torture and we have prevailed, why... now.... are we so sure that it is necessary to flay the skin off someone to win?

Answer 3

There are a lot of good reasons not to engage in torture.

1) it is immoral
2) it is against the Geneva Convention
3) it lends legitimacy to those who would torture our troops
4) it presents a very poor image to the rest of the world
5) it runs counter to American values

But most importantly, research has shown that it yeilds false information. If you torture someone long enough, they will tell you anything. Now this may not seem important, but suppose a terrorist tells you that the Sears Tower will be blown up on April 4th. The US springs into action, send all kinds of resources to Chicago. Then the terrorists blow up Wall street instead, bacuase all of our resources are in Chicago. Also, terror cells are compartmentalized, the is, one cell doesn't know who the other cells are, or what their plans are, so any info on other cells is certainly wrong. And don't discount the fact that the leadership of the terrorists may give some of their agents false information, if they feel that capture may be imminent.

Is that enough reasons why torture is a bad idea?

Answer 4

There are several good reasons for the use of torture, but in fact the value of torture is very limited.

1. Information obtained through torture is not considered reliable
2. You would need fairly solid evidence in the first place to justify the use of torture, so why would you need torture
3. Those that use torture tend to mostly be too lazy to use proper investigative procedures, so actual fail to get the information they need anyway.
4. Torture can be used to get people say what you want. So people in power use torture for their own gain.
5. Would you like to be tortured?

This last one is useful measure of whether you are really committed to the concept of torture. Imagine the authorities suspect 2 people of planting a bomb in a building. You are one of the suspects, the other is the bomber. But only you and the bomber know the truth.

Do you think to save lives they should torture you?

Torture can be justified in some situations. If you have caught someone and you know for certain they have information that can save lives. In the time available they can not find out the information needed, so they must use torture to save lives.

I believe that torture should be illegal. I also believe that democracy is rule by the people, and so to preserve democracy people must be prepared to make sacrifices.

If I was put in the situation where I could justify the torture of someone I would break the law, torture them. But I would then willingly admit to breaking the law and my punishment.

Answer 5

This is really a fallacious question that is only inspired by the T.V. show "24." There are several false premises in this question that do not stand up to scrutiny:

First, the biggest false premise is: could you ever see your son in this situation? I highly doubt it.

Second, what makes you think the information your son would give would be reliable? If he is willing to let someone die, why wouldn't he be willing to lie about it?

Third, don't you think there would be other available means to get this information other than your own son?

Fourth, what the heck are you trying to say about your son? That he would collude with terrorists and that he would willfully allow another to die? What kind of parent would raise a child like that? Or have you no faith in your son? That's sick.

Fifth, would you really torture your own son? Have you no other way to get this information other than torture? I really find this hard to believe. Anyone who would torture their own son is a sick sick sick bastard. I highly doubt that you are a sick bastard.

Therefore, we balk at torturing people because we are not sick bastards.

Answer 6

Torture violates basic human rights.

Torture almost never produces useful information. Good interrogation procedures and other police work are much more reliable and faster means.

Governments that use torture do so as a fear tactic, not as a means to extract confessions. The desired "confessions" are just the excuse. If we resort to torture, we resort to terriorism ourselves.

If we allow ourselves to become what we despise about our enemy, why not just surrender to them now?

Answer 7

Because a tortured person will tell you what they think you want to hear so you stop torturing them, wether they know anything or not.

Also, it's counter-productive to our mission. In WW2, MILLIONS of Germans surrendered to the US because they knew they would be treated well. Many on the Eastern front fled west so they can get captured by the Americans instead of the Russians, who would certainly torture them. Many would rather die then be tortured and will continue to fight because they know what will happen to them if they are caught or surrender. If they knew they'd be treated well, this wouldn't be a problem.

Another point: what's the point of preaching freedom, democracy, and human rights if we can't practice it ourselves?

Answer 8

First, no evolution, then torture. Soon the world is flat and it's the center of the solar system.
Torturing a son. Good joke.

Answer 9

Well I can't comment on what you feel about your own family, but the real problem with torture isn't our personal ethical standpoints; it's that there are international conventions against torture, that the US is an enforcing member. The real question that is at stake is how can the US enforce international conventions when we ourselves are not adhering to them?

Answer 10

Because we're supposed to be better than that. We can get information from people in ways other than torture. I thought only savages used torture to get their way.