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walt fristoe
SFN Regular
USA
505 Posts |
 Posted - 03/18/2003 : 18:15:05
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Just wanted to get some opinions and comments on this question.
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"If God chose George Bus of all the people in the world, how good could God be?"
Bill Maher |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
 Posted - 03/18/2003 : 21:27:38 [Permalink]
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I can't believe I read the whole thing. Ugh. Pat sometimes seems to confuse "necessary act" with "moral act." Mr. Spock's "needs of the many" is a good rule for establishing what is necessary, but by no means are those needed acts also moral. To use one of Pat's examples: Cops don't shoot bad guys because they think it's the morally correct thing to do, they are taught to do so only when required by the situation.
It could be argued that torturing Khalid Shaikh Muhammad would be a necessary act, if one could show a fair certainty that it would, indeed, save thousands of lives, but it won't ever be a moral act.
I think that perhaps Bush could use this confusion of terms to his "moral advantage" for the Iraq mess. Whether he's right or wrong in the public's mind, it seems certain that he thinks the invasion is a necessary act. If he, too, could convince himself that necessary acts are always moral, it could ease any guilt he might feel about the collateral damage (riiiiight).
Oh, and the caning of that kid in Singapore was an act that was neither moral nor necessary.
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- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2003 : 07:48:04 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by walt fristoe
Just wanted to get some opinions and comments on this question.
Lets answer the question, shall we?
No. Evoquivacly no.
Torture violates the Eight Amendment to the Constitution and yields worthless information. Time and time again history has shown how people who are tortured will say whatever the people who do the torturing want them to.
Sample exchange:
Cardinal Fang: Tell us that Hussein backed Osama Bin Laden and is currently hiding him.
Victim: No. That's not true.
Cardinal Fang: Cardinal Biggles, apply the thumb screws.
Victim: AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! OK! Hussein is hiding Osama Bin Laden! AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils
Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion |
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NubiWan
Skeptic Friend
USA
424 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2003 : 11:59:00 [Permalink]
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No, an unconditional no.
A 'Moral Code' that can justify torure as 'moral,' is adrift. Can imagine possible intances, were torture might be imployed, but it is still never 'moral.' And as VD points out, it's product is likely to be worthless, in any event.
Edited to correct lame spelling. |
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Topic Locked
