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>> What about tools for torture? Only if there are ethical uses for such tools. One could make a hypothetical argument that if a known terrorist planted a bom
by thesuperbigfrog 3y ago
>> What about tools for torture?
Only if there are ethical uses for such tools.
One could make a hypothetical argument that if a known terrorist planted a bomb that would kill thousands of innocent people and the terrorist was caught before the bomb exploded it might be considered "for the greater good" to use extreme measures to find out where the bomb is and how to disarm it.
Yes, it is a contrived example, but some nations have had to make similar decisions. I am not saying that I agree with such choices, but I have never faced such a decision. It's hard to know what the best answer is in such difficult circumstances.
Is it right to torture people? No.
Is it right to let innocent people die? No.
So what is the ethically correct choice?
- danaris 3y ago> One could make a hypothetical argument that if a known terrorist planted a bomb that would kill thousands of innocent people and the terrorist was caught before the bomb exploded it might be considered "for the greater good" to use extreme measures to find out where the bomb is and how to disarm it. Which is a fun scenario to contemplate for entertainment, but decades of research and a fair amount of rather upsetting empirical evidence shows that torture does not actually work. All those stories where torture is used to get information? Just stories. Jack Bauer? A fictional character. If you want to get information out of otherwise-hostile people, you need to make a connection with them. You need them to trust you. Torture is only good at establishing dominance and breaking people's spirit. People will tell you anything they think you want to hear to stop torture, regardless of whether it's true. > So what is the ethically correct choice? Easy. Don't torture people. It has no positive uses.