While Thinking About the Principle That It Is Always Wrong

question 33

Multiple Choice

While thinking about the principle that it is always wrong to torture people, the philosopher Henry Shue imagines a scenario in which torturing a suspect is the only way to save Paris from being destroyed by a nuclear bomb. Based on the discussion in Chapter 6, which of the following would NOT be a plausible way for Shue to respond to that alleged counterexample?

• A) Insist that, although it would lead to disaster, the police are still morally obligated to refrain from torturing the suspect.
• B) Revise the principle to say that it is always wrong to torture people unless the would-be torturer is extremely confident that it is the only way to prevent a great catastrophe.
• C) Argue that although torturing the suspect would violate the would-be torturer's obligation not to torture, the obligation to save Paris is more important in this particular case.
• D) Add some detail to the scenario so that torturing the suspect would no longer guarantee that Paris would be saved.

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Definitions:

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