Torture is Permissible
Torture is a topic that has attracted a lot of debate and controversy around the world because of various issues and aspects. This means that as much as torture is not good, it is permissible based on its effectiveness on diverse issues. In this case, torture can be morally justified depending on the circumstance or occurrence in question. When looked at from this perspective, it will be justifiable to use coerced interrogation for the wellbeing of a large population.
Most notably, torture has good utilities that can always outweigh its negative attributes that have been capitalized on to term it immoral. Because torture can always be unsavory based on how it is conducted, its importance in needy situations should render it moral in our society.
Torture from a utilitarian perspective
As far as a utilitarian perspective of torture is concerned, a proper cause of action should be the option that will ultimately maximize happiness. This is an ethical theory that argues that happiness should be attained by whatever means possible. When looked at from a torture point of view, the society has been evolving as time goes by which gives enough support for a utilitarian approach. Notwithstanding, some utilitarian’s have always argued in favor of torture thereby justifying it.
This therefore contravenes the aspect of happiness because there is no way torture can be done in happiness that will be achieved by whatever means possible. In this case, we should expect people to argue that torture is wrong based on the fact that it does not derive happiness that is always desired from an ethical perspective. As much as torture is acceptable in different societies, this can not hold water from a utilitarian perspective.
There has always been an argument in favor of torture from a utilitarian point of view. In this case, it is viewed that torturing bad guys will help to yield information that might be necessary to prevent various activities that might threaten peace. Naturally, speaking from an ethical perspective, torture has never been good in any way. As much as torture is not good in our society, it is always outweighed by the harm that it can prevent.
This implies that it is better to torture a bad guy or individual to prevent him or his accomplices from doing something that will be costly to the society. In a broad perspective, we all know that our actions should make other people happy rather than making them sad. This is the direct opposite with torture where it makes people sad instead of making them happy. Another important and core aspect is the fact that harming innocent people is far much worse than harming bad elements in the society.
When looked at from a utilitarian perspective, it is very easy to argue that torture as a practice should be ultimately outlawed yet the effects of not doing this are always overlooked. The core issue here is the general practice of torture and how it is undertaken or done. People argue that it is only a clearly sadistic and unconscious person who can perform torture on a fellow human being yet this is missing on the basics that guide the society in the first place.
Utilitarian’s have argued that torture is ineffective based on various aspects but we need to ask ourselves if it can be relied upon to produce good intelligence. As far as the collective consciousness of humanity is concerned, torture has been seen as evil because it eats into the core of an individual’s soul and spirit. It should be known that the utilitarian argument in relation to torture goes beyond its widely acceptable effectiveness.