Verified Document

Human Rights - Torture Is Term Paper

" The conduct it encourages must be regrettable in itself rather than in virtue of any further effects it may bring about, however predictably."

In more layman's terms, these two requirements translate into a code that makes people act in ways that defeats the overall purpose of the code and that encourages regrettable conduct.

Dershowitz's line of reasoning comes closet to Pogge's requirement that a moral code must cause people to act in ways that defeat the overall purpose of the code for it to require change. Because moral code doesn't allow torture, it occurs more frequent because it is conducted covertly. This is flawed logic at its worse. Consider the following analogy: a) Murder is illegal. b) Murder still occurs frequently. c) Legalize murder so we can better control it. This may seem extreme, but that's how absurd Dershowitz's statements are when placed in the context of a logical methodology such as Pogge's. On the other hand, the U.S. might try to justify its actions by stating the moral codes encourage regrettable conduct. That is, prisoners are able to withhold information about terrorist activities because moral codes protect them from torture. but, as Executive Director of Amnesty International, William Schulz, so aptly explains:

The reason torture is such a risky proposition is exactly because it is so difficult to tell ahead of time who is a terrorist and who is not; who has the information and who does not; who will give the information accurately and who will deceive; who will respond to torture and who will endure it as a religious discipline."

Given any of Schulz's objections, it's easy to see why more regrettable conduct results from breaking moral codes than abiding by them.

Pogge concludes his book by acknowledging that there is considerable disagreement for what constraints acceptable morality must satisfy and that consensus in these rather than continuous moral debate holds the key to moral convergence. Post September 11th hysteria has caused people to lose sight of the need for human rights as international moral and legal codes that protect people from abuse. Rather than focusing on the fear and what constitutes acceptable morality, the attention should turn to moral codes and a formal methodology such as Pogge's for revisiting them. As we saw when exploring Dershowitz and actions by the United States, unsound justifications for breaking moral codes are more readily identified. Certainly, the unraveling of basic fundamental...

2003. Available:
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/LAW/03/03/cnna.Dershowitz/(Accessed 11 May 2005).

Freed Detainee Describes Guantanamo Torture." ABC News Online 30 Jan. 2005. Available:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1291925.htm (Accessed 11 May 2005).

Mercer, Phil. "Fresh Guantanamo Torture Claims." BBC News 13 Feb. 2005. Available: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4262095.stm (Accessed 11 May 2005).

Pogge, Thomas. World Poverty and Human Rights. Cambridge: Polity. Press, 2002

Pope, Kenneth S. And Garcia-Peltoniemi, Rosa E., "Responding to Victims of Torture: Clinical Issues, Professional Responsibilities and Useful Resources." Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, vol. 22, #4, Available:

http://kspope.com/torvic/torture1.php#copy (Accessed 11 May 2005).

Schulz, William. Tainted Legacy. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press.

Schulz, William. Tainted Legacy. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, p. 156.

Dershowitz: Torture Could Be Justified." CNN 4 Mar. 2003. Available:

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/LAW/03/03/cnna.Dershowitz/(Accessed 11 May 2005).

Pope, Kenneth S. And Garcia-Peltoniemi, Rosa E., "Responding to Victims of Torture: Clinical Issues, Professional Responsibilities and Useful Resources." Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, vol. 22, #4, Available:

http://kspope.com/torvic/torture1.php#copy (Accessed 11 May 2005).

Mercer, Phil. "Fresh Guantanamo Torture Claims." BBC News 13 Feb. 2005. Available: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4262095.stm (Accessed 11 May 2005).

Freed Detainee Describes Guantanamo Torture." ABC News Online 30 Jan. 2005. Available:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1291925.htm (Accessed 11 May 2005).

Editorial: Torture Today." America Magazine 19 Nov. 2001, Vol. 185 No. 16. Available:

http://www.americamagazine.org/editorial.cfm?articleTypeID=3&textID=1244&issueID=351(Accessed 11 May 2005).

Pogge, Thomas. World Poverty and Human Rights. Cambridge: Polity. Press, 2002, p. 75.

Schulz, William. Tainted Legacy. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, p. 164.

Pogge, Thomas. World Poverty and Human Rights. Cambridge: Polity. Press, 2002, p. 90.

Sources used in this document:
Bibliography

Dershowitz: Torture Could Be Justified." CNN 4 Mar. 2003. Available:

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/LAW/03/03/cnna.Dershowitz/(Accessed 11 May 2005).

Freed Detainee Describes Guantanamo Torture." ABC News Online 30 Jan. 2005. Available:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1291925.htm (Accessed 11 May 2005).
Mercer, Phil. "Fresh Guantanamo Torture Claims." BBC News 13 Feb. 2005. Available: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4262095.stm (Accessed 11 May 2005).
http://kspope.com/torvic/torture1.php#copy (Accessed 11 May 2005).
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/LAW/03/03/cnna.Dershowitz/(Accessed 11 May 2005).
http://kspope.com/torvic/torture1.php#copy (Accessed 11 May 2005).
Mercer, Phil. "Fresh Guantanamo Torture Claims." BBC News 13 Feb. 2005. Available: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4262095.stm (Accessed 11 May 2005).
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1291925.htm (Accessed 11 May 2005).
http://www.americamagazine.org/editorial.cfm?articleTypeID=3&textID=1244&issueID=351(Accessed 11 May 2005).
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Human Rights in Human Security
Words: 2863 Length: 8 Document Type: Research Paper

As a result, many citizens continue suffering by losing business opportunities due to insecurity. They develop ineffective policies, implement them, and when they fail, blame it on local authorities. Therefore, the crime rate continues to go higher and the government remains quiet about offering long-term solutions to such problems (Griffin 110-111). Solutions Long-term solutions or strategies are essential in helping an individual deal with their fears because they will have a

Human Rights and Ethics in Research the
Words: 1152 Length: 3 Document Type: Case Study

Human Rights and Ethics in Research The nurse who observed that the research participant did not recall signing the consent papers and did not remember the details of the research project to which he had agreed to participate should have stopped the researcher from going any farther with him until it could be ascertained if the man was in a frame of mind to give legal consent. It is the duty

Human Rights Approach to HIV
Words: 1702 Length: 5 Document Type: Research Paper

When the human rights related to HIV / AIDS are not respected, the vulnerability of the infection and spread of HIV increases and effective response to the epidemic is impeded. It is important to integrate a human rights approach when dealing with HIV / AIDS because once there rights are protected and promoted, vulnerability reduces, response to the epidemic is enhanced, and discrimination against infected individuals is discouraged. References Boesten, J.

Human Rights Crisis in the Meatpacking Industry
Words: 1540 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Human Rights Crisis in the Meatpacking Industry Meatpacking Industry Safety Standards Meatpacking workers have historically been exposed to some of the most dangerous work conditions, resulting in one of the highest injury rates of any occupation in the United States. Between the years 1980 and 1985 the injury rate was three-fold higher for meatpacking plant workers than for all other manufacturing industries (Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA], 1988) and in 2000

Human Rights Donnelly, J. 2007 .
Words: 916 Length: 3 Document Type: Book Report

The human rights police occasionally violate human rights in the name of rights preservation. Therefore, those who have the political power to underwrite human rights legislation also have the power to re-write that legislation or simply be excused from the table. In some cases, human rights violations are clear-cut. Genocide is a prime example of a situation in which the global community screams for a more conscientious enforcement of human

Human Rights the Contemporaneous Society
Words: 2344 Length: 7 Document Type: Thesis

In other words, the power and the wealth could easily fall in the hand of the few privileged ones, and their rights would be better served, than those of the marginalized, powerless and poor population (Paribatra, 1999). 6. Conclusions and Recommendations The section on the analysis of the issues at hand commenced stating that the purpose of the briefing paper was a simple one: identifying the positive or negative nature of

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now