Summary the Case of Torture Essay Example

be seen as doubtful.

Levis is beginning the article by mentioning general premises regarding the topic of torture. Then he continues his argumentation by giving three hyperbolic, hypothetical situations in which the use of terror might be regarded as justifiable. His justification for such an argument is that sometimes is necessary to disregard the civil liberties of a person, in this case the liberties of a terrorist, in order to preserve those same civil liberties. Moreover it means that the rights of the individual can be disregarded if in this way the supposed greater good of the society will be saved.

Next he continuous his argumentation by explaining his position towards the use of torture when it comes to the topic of punishment. He distinguishes clearly between two aspects, more exactly between the use of torture in order to prevent that the lives of innocent people will be endangered and the use of torture as a punishment. He is explaining that torture used as a punishment has more the effect of a deterrence or of a retribution and because of that it will not change in any way the harm that was caused in the past. That is why he is against such a practice. In comparison with that the use of torture meant to avoid a potential future catastrophe would be permissible.

Furthermore, Levin states that because of the fact that the perpetrator was acting consciously, he has deliberately renounced at his civil liberties, and therefore the lives of the victims that he is endangering must have priority and are to be first of all considered. The terrorist is indeed a

human and has rights, but the lives of all the people that are supposed to be hurt by his terrorist acts are more important.