What is torture? Should we recognize a universal moral right not to be tortured? How does it arise? Should it trump all other considerations, as the UN convention suggests?

Torture

02 .10 .2005

Introduction

Torture stands unique in the annals of criminology and jurisprudence It is among the oldest methods of inflicting severe punishment , a method of capital punishment , an interrogating method used with suspects , a devise used in coercing people to succumb to demands of their captors and a method of enjoyment employed by many sadistic people who derive pleasure from pain and agony of others . However , to cultured and civilized mindsets , torture has always been an inhuman and savage act and therefore its use has been always

protested and vehemently condemned . This looks into the moral and philosophical side of torture and shall argue that torture is a morally reprehensible and condemnable act that does not warrant execution under any circumstance whatsoever

Definition of torture

Torture , as explained by Sussman (2005 , is inflicting pain and agony of severe in to terrorize victims , break their spirit , and dehumanize them . Contrary to general perception that attempts to define torture in only physical extensions of bodily injury and laceration torture remains largely undefined . It is more based on personal experience of pain , fear , trauma , agony and suffering , which may or may not be stimulated by physical torture . For example , a victim may exhibit great endurance before brutal physical acts of violence such as searing by hot iron , electric shock , cutting off body parts , flaying and being burnt alive . However , the same victim may show acute fear , horror and agony in being enclosed in a dark and airtight compartment and this entrapment may represent a greater torture for him than the acts of physical violence . Therefore , torture is specific , subjective and situation dependent

Moral challenges to concept of torture

The concept of torture has been established as fundamentally inhuman and barbarous by its very definition-the act of giving deliberate and prolonged pain to one human being by another . Torture rejects the very claim of humanity of it being superior than other life forms- rather it becomes pointer to most depraved and deranged attributes of human mind The conscious infliction of intolerable pain on other people , remaining calm and unaffected by screams and pleas of mercy , deliberate mutilation , permanent disfigurement , burning and tearing the body parts of an alive human beings are acts that have been attributed to `devils and `demon ' in the classic folklore , because these acts are considered beyond the capacity of a thinking , rational , empathetic , compatriot and Christian human being (Michael , 2005 . In this regard torture is regarded as the greatest violation of human dignity of the victim and greatest possible debasement of the perpetrator . From moral and philosophical point of view , therefore , torture is unconditionally inadmissible

There is also a debate in the moral and philosophical circles on comparison of torture with murder and capital punishment . Here the notable point is that while murder and capital punishment lead to a quick end of senses and consciousness , in torture victims are s slowly and gradually tormented while in being in their senses , slowly filling them with...