The Case for Torture by Michael Levin

Levin's biggest point is generated from the three hypothetical cases he provides the reader. .
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             In my opinion, they clearly work more as emotional examples and not as sound reasons. The first case is one in which an atomic bomb is planted on Manhattan Island and will blow at noon. The suspect demands money and release of his friends from jail. He is caught at 10 A.M. and the man won't disclose any information on the bomb. "What do you do (1)? The 2nd case speaks of a bomb on a jumbo jet. The suspect's demands cannot be met. "Won't we do anything to the extortionist to the save the passengers (1)?" The third hypothetical case is provided with results from a four person poll. The case is one in which a newborn baby is kidnapped from a hospital. Would you allow the torturing of the kidnapper in order to get him back? .
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             I feel that all three hypothetical situations have something about them that or not totally convincing. According to Levin's first reasoning, if a person demands money and release of his friends from jail, Levin does not explain how somebody would go about finding this person wherever he is hiding. Levin also has a very weak spot in explaining the situation because when he speaks of the bomber, he says, "Preferring death to failure - won't disclose where the bomb is. "(1). Saying to readers, he prefers death to failure would logically mean that, even if tortured, the man is still not going to disclose the information because he would rather die than failing his mission. .
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             The second situation's weakness comes from a lack of critical information. The situation involves a Jumbo Jet in which a bomb has been planted which can be defused only by the bomber who is in police custody. Levin says, "Surely we can, we must, do anything to the extortionist to save the passengers. (1). Once again, what exactly is torture going to do in this situation if the bomb is on the plane? How exactly is the bomb going to be defused? I feel that this situation could have made much better of an argument if he would have taken the time to clear up exactly how the bomb was going to get defused.