The Ethics of Torture

by J. Jeremy Wisnewski

Torture has recently been the subject of some sensational headlines. As a result, there has been a huge surge in interest in the ethical implications of this contentious issue. The Ethics of Torture offers the first complete introduction to the philosophical debates surrounding torture. The book asks key questions in light of recent events such as the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib.  What makes torture morally reprehensible? Are there any conditions under which torture is acceptable? What is it like to be tortured, and why do people engage in torture? The authors argue that the force of the most common arguments for torture (like the ticking-bomb argument) are significantly overestimated, while the wrongness of torture has been significantly underestimated-even by those who argue against it. This is the ideal introduction to the ethics of torture for students of moral philosophy or political theory. It also constitutes a significant contribution to the torture debate in its own right, presenting a unique approach to investigating this dark practice.

Genres: Reference

176 pages, Paperback

First published July 21, 2009

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

if one accepts torture can ever be used, i doubt this book will do much to dissuade, but i say that not because the book is poorly managed, but because those who believe torture is acceptable have reached the point where humans are to be valued less than manufactured ideas like freedom, or democracy, or rights... the authors make no attempt to define what torture is, as that would/could involve a massive book that reaches no definitive conclusion after all is said and done... what they do is accept torture as a phenomenon and use the book to stake their claim that torture not only dehumanizes the tortured, but also the torturer, and is therefore never justified... they refute the "ticking time bomb" argument quite effectively, but understanding that anyone who see "others" as less than human is unlikely to be swayed by reason or fact, which merely bolsters the authors' claims about torture... a detailed and nuanced analysis that never loses sight of its target or strays from its methods into emotional blathering (my non-technial term)... well-footnoted and supported, but not requiring much outside reading a priori to follow... enlists some key thinkers (Habermas is one) and comfortability with scholarly academics is helpful, though lacking that hardly makes the book exclusionary to lay readers...

[Heather Clitheroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goes beyond a general discussion of the 'give and take' or economic model of torture to examine issues of phenomenological and dramaturgical models of torture and their lasting impact on both victims and interrogators. Quite an eye-opening book; well worth an afternoon of reading.