Ross Douthat on Torture
Posted on December 18, 2008 - Filed Under American Politics, Philosophy | 3 Comments
Here’s a very thoughtful and measured post from Ross Douthat about the Bush administration’s treatment of detainees in the ‘War on Terror’. I’m not necessarily endorsing Douthat’s position (I very seldom do), but the piece is perhaps the best I’ve read on the matter, probably because it eschews an absolutist stance and also takes into consideration the widespread tacit support that “enhanced interrogation” drew before the Abu Ghraib scandal broke. Of course, it’s exquisitely well-written too, as you would expect from an Atlantic blog.
Comments
3 Responses to “Ross Douthat on Torture”
Leave a Reply
I don’t consider “eschewing an absolutist stance” to be a virtue when it comes to the question of torture. Rather, I think this article (which was certainly well written) demonstrates that avoiding absolutism is exactly the mechanism which legitimises the use of torture by “otherwise civilised” countries. By allowing grief, fear, and anger a legitimate role within the discussion, moral loopholes are created via which torture can be excused.
There is a danger, as I believe this article demonstrates, of confusing explanation with justification. It is one thing to understand why the question of torture is one which many people struggle with, but it is quite another to determine what ought to be permissible within a society which aspires to respect the concept of inalienable human rights.
Well again, I don’t necessarily agree with the piece, but I think the historical context and the perspective (that of an erstwhile Bush supporter) make it a far more interesting read than an article which simply says “No torture, ever!”, even if the latter position may be closer to my own view.
That’s fair enough. I do tend to find that articles which mirror my own view too closely on an issue tend to be relatively boring. Also, it seems to me that well-articulated positions such as those expressed in the article must be integral in any comprehensive account of the problem if we want to properly explain why the issue of torture causes difficulty for so many people.