I said it wasn't torture. I didn't say whether or not I approve of it even for terrorists. Your jumping to conclusions.
As for regular criminals, there wouldn't be too many cases where there would be any justification for it.
Edit - Re your comment in a later post "My (underlying) point is that I believe a certain percentage of the pro-torture bloc is actually more attracted to the punitive side of torture."
Its a stretch to call me part of "the pro-torture bloc", and to the extent I'd accept torture, or even mistreatment that falls short of torture, in some extreme situations, it wouldn't have much to do with the putative side.
Well there might in theory be some reasons for using pain and/or discomfort as punishment. Other cultures have done it, for example whipping someone, or putting them in the stocks for a punishment. It sound inhumane, but it might not be less human than locking someone up in prison for 20 years. I'm not calling for, or supporting such punishments or even seriously considering them, but I don't reject the idea out of hand, after consideration its possible I might totally reject it, or its possible that I might not. I haven't given the idea to much thought, and really there is not much reason to, as in our culture such punishments are considered unacceptable, and there is no serious proposal to move in that direction. I'm just pointing that idea out to be honest and thorough in my response. |
