There is no plausible theory under which the record of the Pentagon Papers can be interpreted as relating to the national defense.
Noam ChomskyRead
There is still much debate about whether torture has been effective in eliciting information - the assumption being, apparently, that if it is effective, then it may be justified.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The effectiveness of torture is debated, questioning its justification based on results.
Noam Chomsky highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the effectiveness of torture in obtaining information. He suggests that the prevailing assumption seems to be that if torture can be proven effective, then it may be justified, raising ethical concerns about its use and prompting deeper moral inquiry into the means of obtaining knowledge and the implications of such actions.
Themes
TortureEthicsJustificationEffectivenessInformation
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on human rights, one could cite this quote to emphasize the ethical implications of torture.
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