Human Rights: Torture J. Jeremy Wisnewski Contents Introduction ....................................................................................... 2 Definitions of Torture ............................................................................. 2 The History of Torture ............................................................................ 4 Premodern Torture ............................................................................ 4 Modern Torture ................................................................................ 5 Moral and Legal Permissibility ................................................................... 6 The Ticking-Bomb Scenario ..................................................................... 8 Deontology: For and Against ................................................................. 9 Torture and Interrogation ......................................................................... 11 Conclusion ........................................................................................ 12 References ........................................................................................ 12 Abstract Several aspects of torture are considered in the following chapter. The first section “Definitions of Torture” presents several definitions of torture. In the second section, “The History of Torture,” a brief history of torture in Europe illuminates the role torture has historically played in the legal system. In the third and fourth sections, “Moral and Legal Permissibility” and “The Ticking-Bomb Scenario,” a survey of some of the recent arguments for and against torture is offered. The final section, “Torture and Interrogation,” discusses the evidence surrounding the (in) effectiveness of torture. Keywords Torture · Interrogation · Ticking-Bomb Scenario J. J. Wisnewski (*) Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY, USA e-mail: wisnewskij@hartwick.edu © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019 E. Shor, S. Hoadley (eds.), International Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism, International Human Rights, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3894-5_14-1 1