Anti-Climacus

LINK: OxBlog discusses whether or not torture is ever acceptable. Sayeth David Adensik:

"So let me clarify: I recognize that there are certain extreme situations in which torture is justified. If a terrorist knows that a chemical warhead is about to explode in downtown Baghdad, then the gloves come off.

But in general, I think is premature to say either that torture is an efficient method of interrogation or that it is the only method. Moreover, the negative repercussions of torture in terms of both domestic and foreign opinion are so great that we can only afford to use it as a method of last resort."

Myself, I'd go for the Michael Walzer formulation (from 'The Problem of Dirty Hands') that there's not really anything wrong (in a political sense) with political leaders being willing to go the extra mile, provided a few conditions apply: 1. the people who are being tortured or what have you are actually guilty of something or complicit in whatever's happening. 2. It's a last resort option. 3. The person ordering the torture feels properly (that is to say actually, in the relevant way, and not merely publicly) bad about the decision.

Obviously the moral dimension is what it is, no matter what.