Interrogation of torture.

Abstract

This paper is a discourse about torture— an incontrovertibly nefarious action. But yet after September 11, there are those who are wont to justify torture as a necessary evil in the fight against terrorism. In particular, the Bush Administration believes that torture is a justifiable option in the quest for better intelligence. This paper takes issue with the US position, arguing that torture is ultimately unjustifiable. It employs a moral argument that is undergirded by two key precepts: the principle of humanity and the principle of discrimination. That said, in order to constitute a robust and "just" perspective, this paper also takes a look at the various moral arguments that defend torture, namely Machiavelli's "Morality of Results", John Stuart Mill's "Greatest Happiness" principle and the classical "Ticking Time Bomb" scenario.