Blake's Mid-Unit 2 Post

“Lessons must be learned after psychology torture inquiry.” Nature.com. Nature Publishing Group. 14 July 2015. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. <http://www.nature.com/news/lessons-must-be-learned-after-psychology-torture-inquiry-1.17970>.

The author of this Nature article argues that the use of human torture is inhumane and ridiculous. He states that the American Psychological Association (APA) should receive all the criticism it can get due to its dealings with torture alongside the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The article explains the APA’s involvement in MKUltra, a “mind-control program” used during the Cold War. The author clearly thinks that what the APA and CIA did is completely wrong. He makes this clear in his negative tone towards the APA and this is especially obvious in his last sentence, claiming the APA was “making a deal with the devil.” His most important piece of evidence against human torture is a statement he makes against the APA. The APA considered the program ethical and tried to say that it was simply “research.” The author stated that their “studies” violated every consent rule for human subjects, including the CIA’s. This not only depicts the inhumanity of what they did, but even the fact that they broke rules on top of rules in the process.

Campbell, Thomas A. "Psychological Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Torture Survivors: A Review." N.p., June 2007. Web. 24 Sept. 2015. <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735807000402>.

The author of this article in ScienceDirect, Thomas A. Campbell, agrees with the author of the Nature on mostly every point. He too, does not like the thought of torture; at least the way it has been done. Campbell includes a lot of statistics, which strengthens his argument. Statistics on the amount of refugees worldwide, the increase on torture, and more, explaining that the numbers will only increase with the way the world has been the past few years. Campbell also includes many suggestions that make torture treat the one being tortured like the human being he or she is. Campbell really stresses the importance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how much of an effect it has on individuals. Overall, Campbell makes an excellent argument against the torture of humans.

Welch, Bryant L. "Moral Drift and the American Psychological Association: The Road to Torture." ProQuest. N.p., 2010. Web. 23 Sept. 2015. <http://search.proquest.com/docview/887541742?OpenUrlRefId=info:xri/sid:summon&accountid=12725>.

Bryant Welch, like Campbell and the author of the Nature article, believes that torture is wrong. He especially attacks the Bush administration and their use of psychological torture, mainly during the post 9/11 era. Welch states that the Bush administration used psychological expertise in their favor to

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torture. He states it “obscure[d] the reality” of torture and “lent it a sense of invincibility through its scientific aura.” These are both pretty bold claims; nonetheless, Welch backs up his argument and uses strong language to persuade the reader into pitying those being tortured and hating the torturers. The article is very much in opposition to the APA and the Bush administrations work in using psychology and torture together.

Luban, David. "Human Dignity, Humiliation, and Torture." Project MUSE. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, Sept. 2009. Web. 24 Sept. 2015. <http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/kennedy_institute_of_ethics_journal/v019/19.3.luban.html>.

David Luban, like all the other 3 authors of the articles I read, believes that torture, and all forms of torture, are not good at all. Luban argues that torture is wrong and has been, since World War II, outlawed in the United States. However, as Luban mentioned, that did not stop lawyers from finding a loophole. Luban states that the CIA came up with “enhanced interrogation techniques” which he says are just a euphemism for torture. Most of his argument comes from the bashing of the CIA and its disgusting habits of wheedling out some loophole in order for them to continue to do what they want to do.

Summerfield, Derek. "Fighting “terrorism” with torture: Torture Is a Form of Terrorism: There Are No Justifications for It." BMJ: British Medical Journal. BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, 12 Apr. 2003. Web. 24 Sept. 2015. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1125696/?tool=pmcentrez>.

This article is shorter than the last 4, but this article made one of the biggest arguments. David Summerfield makes a bold claim by saying that fighting terrorism with torture is terrorism itself. This is a moving statement because, although extreme, Summerfield does make a good point. He also includes different kinds of torture that is used. Summerfield made quite a bold argument, but did not exactly include much evidence backing it. However, that is why other articles go well together with Summerfield’s. Using other articles as evidence, one could see the reasoning behind Summerfield’s explanation.