Yuval Ginbar
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199540914
- eISBN:
- 9780191716256
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199540914.003.0007
- Subject:
- Law, Human Rights and Immigration
This chapter introduces Part II, examining the ticking bomb question as one of public, practical, morality in the real world, namely whether it is morally justifiable for democratic states facing ...
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This chapter introduces Part II, examining the ticking bomb question as one of public, practical, morality in the real world, namely whether it is morally justifiable for democratic states facing terrorism to torture in order to save many innocent lives. It outlines the parameters for discussing the question. Part II is to first address the question of whether transferring the ‘torture in a ticking bomb situation’ (TBS) moral dilemma from the private to the public sphere in itself entails a different moral solution. Secondly, the question is to be addressed of whether — accepting arguendo that torture in this situation is morally justified — states can torture in TBSs while limiting both torture and its direct and indirect harm to a morally acceptable level, or else must slide down an inevitable, and intolerable ‘slippery slope’. ‘Slippery surface’ dangers unique to the public sphere are also discussed.Less
This chapter introduces Part II, examining the ticking bomb question as one of public, practical, morality in the real world, namely whether it is morally justifiable for democratic states facing terrorism to torture in order to save many innocent lives. It outlines the parameters for discussing the question. Part II is to first address the question of whether transferring the ‘torture in a ticking bomb situation’ (TBS) moral dilemma from the private to the public sphere in itself entails a different moral solution. Secondly, the question is to be addressed of whether — accepting arguendo that torture in this situation is morally justified — states can torture in TBSs while limiting both torture and its direct and indirect harm to a morally acceptable level, or else must slide down an inevitable, and intolerable ‘slippery slope’. ‘Slippery surface’ dangers unique to the public sphere are also discussed.
Boris I. Prilutsky and Alexander N. Klishko
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195395273
- eISBN:
- 9780199863518
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195395273.003.0009
- Subject:
- Neuroscience, Sensory and Motor Systems
Biomechanical analysis of whole-body locomotion in different conditions is a unique tool for exploring the effects of environmental demands on movement control. This chapter reviews data from the ...
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Biomechanical analysis of whole-body locomotion in different conditions is a unique tool for exploring the effects of environmental demands on movement control. This chapter reviews data from the literature and from research on how quadrupedal animals operate their four extremities, select gaits, distribute loads between fore- and hindlimbs, divide labor among joints to generate the mechanical energy necessary for propulsion, and select specific muscles around individual joints to meet various task demands (slope, speed, required accuracy, and perturbations). The data presented in the chapter provide new, important perspectives on the central and afferent mechanisms of whole-body posture and locomotion control.Less
Biomechanical analysis of whole-body locomotion in different conditions is a unique tool for exploring the effects of environmental demands on movement control. This chapter reviews data from the literature and from research on how quadrupedal animals operate their four extremities, select gaits, distribute loads between fore- and hindlimbs, divide labor among joints to generate the mechanical energy necessary for propulsion, and select specific muscles around individual joints to meet various task demands (slope, speed, required accuracy, and perturbations). The data presented in the chapter provide new, important perspectives on the central and afferent mechanisms of whole-body posture and locomotion control.
L. Weiskrantz
- Published in print:
- 1990
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198521921
- eISBN:
- 9780191706226
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198521921.003.0006
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience
Two types of movement were generated and the subject was asked to discriminate movement from non-movement. In the first, a spot on an ocilloscope was oscillated sinisoidally up and down (‘shimmer’) ...
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Two types of movement were generated and the subject was asked to discriminate movement from non-movement. In the first, a spot on an ocilloscope was oscillated sinisoidally up and down (‘shimmer’) at a frequency of 7 Hz and the distance the spot travelled was adjusted by a potentiometer. The eccentricity was varied along the horizontal meridian between 10° and 90° in steps of 10°. He could either adjust the potentiometer until he reported detecting something, or he was asked to discriminate movement from non-movement in a forced-choice manner. In the second arrangement, a mirror attached to a galvanometer reflected a beam from a projector onto a screen allowing movement to be generated for any stimulus that was on a projector slide, in particular a vertical line or a disc. With both arrangements, his thresholds were markedly elevated compared to the good field. With the shimmer stimulus as a function of eccentricity, the blind field showed a slope opposite to that of the good field, i.e., his performance improved with increasing eccentricity in the blind field. His verbal responses for the forced-choice shimmer, even at 95% accuracy, were that he was not aware of anything and was merely guessing. With the projected stimuli, he sometimes reported ‘pulsating waves’.Less
Two types of movement were generated and the subject was asked to discriminate movement from non-movement. In the first, a spot on an ocilloscope was oscillated sinisoidally up and down (‘shimmer’) at a frequency of 7 Hz and the distance the spot travelled was adjusted by a potentiometer. The eccentricity was varied along the horizontal meridian between 10° and 90° in steps of 10°. He could either adjust the potentiometer until he reported detecting something, or he was asked to discriminate movement from non-movement in a forced-choice manner. In the second arrangement, a mirror attached to a galvanometer reflected a beam from a projector onto a screen allowing movement to be generated for any stimulus that was on a projector slide, in particular a vertical line or a disc. With both arrangements, his thresholds were markedly elevated compared to the good field. With the shimmer stimulus as a function of eccentricity, the blind field showed a slope opposite to that of the good field, i.e., his performance improved with increasing eccentricity in the blind field. His verbal responses for the forced-choice shimmer, even at 95% accuracy, were that he was not aware of anything and was merely guessing. With the projected stimuli, he sometimes reported ‘pulsating waves’.
Catharine Cookson
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195129441
- eISBN:
- 9780199834105
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019512944X.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Examines and describes in detail the casuistical method of conflict resolution, noting the importance of principles, paradigms, presumptions, analogies, and “the particulars.” Casuistry is neither a ...
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Examines and describes in detail the casuistical method of conflict resolution, noting the importance of principles, paradigms, presumptions, analogies, and “the particulars.” Casuistry is neither a technical loophole, nor a laxity born out of sympathy, nor anarchical relativism. These criticisms (which also include fear of the “abuse of casuistry” and of the “slippery slope”) are directly addressed. The chapter concludes that the process of casuistry achieves principled justice between the competing goods at issue in free exercise conflicts.Less
Examines and describes in detail the casuistical method of conflict resolution, noting the importance of principles, paradigms, presumptions, analogies, and “the particulars.” Casuistry is neither a technical loophole, nor a laxity born out of sympathy, nor anarchical relativism. These criticisms (which also include fear of the “abuse of casuistry” and of the “slippery slope”) are directly addressed. The chapter concludes that the process of casuistry achieves principled justice between the competing goods at issue in free exercise conflicts.
Rodney J. Sawatsky
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- July 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195170382
- eISBN:
- 9780199835669
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195170385.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Conservative Protestants often assume that there was a time when American higher education was controlled by Christian saints, but whose legacy was lost via the slippery slope of secularization. ...
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Conservative Protestants often assume that there was a time when American higher education was controlled by Christian saints, but whose legacy was lost via the slippery slope of secularization. Sawatsky writes that it is time to set aside this myth of declension and to celebrate the vibrant reality of contemporary Christian scholarship. The vocation of the Christian scholar is to seek wisdom as part of “a community of pilgrims on a journey into a hope-filled future.”Less
Conservative Protestants often assume that there was a time when American higher education was controlled by Christian saints, but whose legacy was lost via the slippery slope of secularization. Sawatsky writes that it is time to set aside this myth of declension and to celebrate the vibrant reality of contemporary Christian scholarship. The vocation of the Christian scholar is to seek wisdom as part of “a community of pilgrims on a journey into a hope-filled future.”
Jeffrey Brand-Ballard
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195342291
- eISBN:
- 9780199867011
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195342291.003.0011
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Political Philosophy
This chapter introduces new arguments for the thesis that judges have all-things-considered reasons to obey nonpermissive rules. These arguments appeal to the systemic effects of deviating from the ...
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This chapter introduces new arguments for the thesis that judges have all-things-considered reasons to obey nonpermissive rules. These arguments appeal to the systemic effects of deviating from the law: effects on individuals other than parties to the case. The point of departure is Alan H. Goldman’s defense of restrictive rule. As Goldman shows, judges are in a special kind of collective action problem: a multiplayer moral-moral prisoner’s dilemma. This chapter suggests that judges who possess good moral judgment constitute a group—Group O—the members of which share two collective intentions: to minimize suboptimal results throughout their legal system and to avoid reaching suboptimal results themselves. They can fulfill the second intention by deviating from the law in suboptimal-result cases, but a pattern of deviating from the law, even in such cases, causes mimetic failure—other judges will imitate Group O and deviate in optimal-result cases, thereby reaching suboptimal results. At some point the rate of deviation by Group O could encourage so much deviation by other judges that the suboptimal results reached by those judges would outweigh the suboptimal results avoided by Group O. That point is defined as the “deviation density threshold.”Less
This chapter introduces new arguments for the thesis that judges have all-things-considered reasons to obey nonpermissive rules. These arguments appeal to the systemic effects of deviating from the law: effects on individuals other than parties to the case. The point of departure is Alan H. Goldman’s defense of restrictive rule. As Goldman shows, judges are in a special kind of collective action problem: a multiplayer moral-moral prisoner’s dilemma. This chapter suggests that judges who possess good moral judgment constitute a group—Group O—the members of which share two collective intentions: to minimize suboptimal results throughout their legal system and to avoid reaching suboptimal results themselves. They can fulfill the second intention by deviating from the law in suboptimal-result cases, but a pattern of deviating from the law, even in such cases, causes mimetic failure—other judges will imitate Group O and deviate in optimal-result cases, thereby reaching suboptimal results. At some point the rate of deviation by Group O could encourage so much deviation by other judges that the suboptimal results reached by those judges would outweigh the suboptimal results avoided by Group O. That point is defined as the “deviation density threshold.”
Brian D. Lee, Corey L. Wilson, and Angela Schörgendorfer
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780813168685
- eISBN:
- 9780813169941
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813168685.003.0019
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
The Watershed Atlas project visualizes landscape indicator aspects of multiple watersheds throughout Kentucky simultaneously. By viewing the landscape from a watershed perspective, this atlas is ...
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The Watershed Atlas project visualizes landscape indicator aspects of multiple watersheds throughout Kentucky simultaneously. By viewing the landscape from a watershed perspective, this atlas is offers new insights into the impact of land use and management decisions on waterways. This atlas seeks to reveal the ways that human influence on the natural environment does not observe political boundaries. A watershed-based approach for making land management decisions takes into account that though cities, counties, and states may appear to be distinct entities, they are connected by ecological features and processes. This atlas can be used as a tool to identify which landscape characteristics are potentially relevant as a guide for future prioritization and management decisions, which may influence waterway quality.Less
The Watershed Atlas project visualizes landscape indicator aspects of multiple watersheds throughout Kentucky simultaneously. By viewing the landscape from a watershed perspective, this atlas is offers new insights into the impact of land use and management decisions on waterways. This atlas seeks to reveal the ways that human influence on the natural environment does not observe political boundaries. A watershed-based approach for making land management decisions takes into account that though cities, counties, and states may appear to be distinct entities, they are connected by ecological features and processes. This atlas can be used as a tool to identify which landscape characteristics are potentially relevant as a guide for future prioritization and management decisions, which may influence waterway quality.
Penney Lewis
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199212873
- eISBN:
- 9780191707063
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199212873.003.3
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology, Medical Law
The presentation of a multitude of conflicting and seemingly irresolvable rights-based claims suggests the need to examine more closely the phenomenon of rights-based arguments in the context of ...
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The presentation of a multitude of conflicting and seemingly irresolvable rights-based claims suggests the need to examine more closely the phenomenon of rights-based arguments in the context of assisted suicide. The problems associated with such arguments are illuminated by looking at some of the critiques of rights which have gained popularity in recent years, and by discussing their applicability to the rights-based arguments used in the assisted suicide debate. The critiques are divided into two broad categories. The first contains arguments regarding the inadequacies associated with rights discourse when attempting to solve complex social problems, and particularly in the context of personal rights. This category includes the problems of indeterminacy, absolutism and the prevalence of slippery slopes, to name only the more familiar critiques. The second category questions the underlying assumptions of current rights discourse, querying the focus on individualism and autonomy, and raises concerns about absence of community.Less
The presentation of a multitude of conflicting and seemingly irresolvable rights-based claims suggests the need to examine more closely the phenomenon of rights-based arguments in the context of assisted suicide. The problems associated with such arguments are illuminated by looking at some of the critiques of rights which have gained popularity in recent years, and by discussing their applicability to the rights-based arguments used in the assisted suicide debate. The critiques are divided into two broad categories. The first contains arguments regarding the inadequacies associated with rights discourse when attempting to solve complex social problems, and particularly in the context of personal rights. This category includes the problems of indeterminacy, absolutism and the prevalence of slippery slopes, to name only the more familiar critiques. The second category questions the underlying assumptions of current rights discourse, querying the focus on individualism and autonomy, and raises concerns about absence of community.
Penney Lewis
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199212873
- eISBN:
- 9780191707063
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199212873.003.7
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology, Medical Law
In the assisted dying context, the legal significance of the dispute over the slippery slope argument is enormous. The force of logical slippery slope arguments depends on the mechanism of legal ...
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In the assisted dying context, the legal significance of the dispute over the slippery slope argument is enormous. The force of logical slippery slope arguments depends on the mechanism of legal change used, and is weak unless the mechanism of legal change is either rights or the defence of necessity. In relation to the empirical slippery slope argument, greater caution is needed before relying on the ‘Dutch experience’ when discussing proposals for the regulation of assisted dying in other jurisdictions, and the possible consequences of such regulation. There is no evidence from the Netherlands that the legalization of voluntary euthanasia caused an increase in the rate of non-voluntary euthanasia. We should learn from the experience in jurisdictions which have legalized assisted dying, while recognizing that because of different social contexts and the use of diverse mechanisms of legal change, those experiences do not translate directly to other jurisdictions.Less
In the assisted dying context, the legal significance of the dispute over the slippery slope argument is enormous. The force of logical slippery slope arguments depends on the mechanism of legal change used, and is weak unless the mechanism of legal change is either rights or the defence of necessity. In relation to the empirical slippery slope argument, greater caution is needed before relying on the ‘Dutch experience’ when discussing proposals for the regulation of assisted dying in other jurisdictions, and the possible consequences of such regulation. There is no evidence from the Netherlands that the legalization of voluntary euthanasia caused an increase in the rate of non-voluntary euthanasia. We should learn from the experience in jurisdictions which have legalized assisted dying, while recognizing that because of different social contexts and the use of diverse mechanisms of legal change, those experiences do not translate directly to other jurisdictions.
Yuval Ginbar
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199540914
- eISBN:
- 9780191716256
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199540914.003.0010
- Subject:
- Law, Human Rights and Immigration
This chapter concludes the discussion of the ticking bomb question as one of public, practical morality. Introducing torture into the interrogation rooms of modern democracies is fraught with dangers ...
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This chapter concludes the discussion of the ticking bomb question as one of public, practical morality. Introducing torture into the interrogation rooms of modern democracies is fraught with dangers of torture expanding beyond the confines of a ticking bomb situation (TBS), in particular in view of fears of ‘mega-terrorism’ such as nuclear attacks, and its effects reaching far beyond the immediate context, reversing the means-end relationship between citizen and state which is at the foundations of democracy and leading to ‘no holds barred’ wars in which terrorists thrive. States introducing or maintaining a minimal absolutist prohibition on torture may thus not be able to guarantee us absolute safety from terrorists, but no torturing state has been able to do that either, and we will at least be absolutely safe, in this respect, from abuse by our own state.Less
This chapter concludes the discussion of the ticking bomb question as one of public, practical morality. Introducing torture into the interrogation rooms of modern democracies is fraught with dangers of torture expanding beyond the confines of a ticking bomb situation (TBS), in particular in view of fears of ‘mega-terrorism’ such as nuclear attacks, and its effects reaching far beyond the immediate context, reversing the means-end relationship between citizen and state which is at the foundations of democracy and leading to ‘no holds barred’ wars in which terrorists thrive. States introducing or maintaining a minimal absolutist prohibition on torture may thus not be able to guarantee us absolute safety from terrorists, but no torturing state has been able to do that either, and we will at least be absolutely safe, in this respect, from abuse by our own state.
Margaret Pabst Battin
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195140279
- eISBN:
- 9780199850280
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195140279.003.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
The death-and-dying debates, especially where they focus on physician-assisted dying — euthanasia and suicide — involve five central arguments — two pro, three con. These include two arguments for ...
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The death-and-dying debates, especially where they focus on physician-assisted dying — euthanasia and suicide — involve five central arguments — two pro, three con. These include two arguments for moral acceptance and/or legalization, the argument from autonomy or self-determination and the argument from the relief of pain and suffering, sometimes also called the argument from mercy. On the other side, the principal arguments against assisted dying include the argument from the intrinsic wrongness of killing, the argument concerning the integrity of the medical profession, and the argument about the potential for abuse, the so-called slippery-slope argument. This book challenges assumptions about how we can and should die, illuminates the structure of arguments for and against physician-assisted suicide, explores the morality of suicide (the deepest issue underlying the death-and-dying controversies that are visible in public debate), speculates a bit about how the future might look and what we should be prepared for, and looks for possibilities of resolution in these ancient, yet new, debates.Less
The death-and-dying debates, especially where they focus on physician-assisted dying — euthanasia and suicide — involve five central arguments — two pro, three con. These include two arguments for moral acceptance and/or legalization, the argument from autonomy or self-determination and the argument from the relief of pain and suffering, sometimes also called the argument from mercy. On the other side, the principal arguments against assisted dying include the argument from the intrinsic wrongness of killing, the argument concerning the integrity of the medical profession, and the argument about the potential for abuse, the so-called slippery-slope argument. This book challenges assumptions about how we can and should die, illuminates the structure of arguments for and against physician-assisted suicide, explores the morality of suicide (the deepest issue underlying the death-and-dying controversies that are visible in public debate), speculates a bit about how the future might look and what we should be prepared for, and looks for possibilities of resolution in these ancient, yet new, debates.
Margaret Pabst Battin
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195140279
- eISBN:
- 9780199850280
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195140279.003.0002
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
Something is amiss with the debate over euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. On the one side were liberals, who thought physician-assisted suicide and perhaps voluntary active euthanasia were ...
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Something is amiss with the debate over euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. On the one side were liberals, who thought physician-assisted suicide and perhaps voluntary active euthanasia were ethically acceptable and should be legal; on the other side were conservatives, who believed assisted dying was immoral and/or dangerous to legalize as a matter of public policy. This chapter explores the richness of this debate by showing something of the terrain of the debate and the figures that have inhabited it, both the public figures and the academic ones partly behind the scenes. It examines the principal arguments for assisted dying, namely, the argument from autonomy and the argument from relief of pain and suffering, as well as the principal arguments against it, namely, the argument from the intrinsic wrongness of killing, the argument from the integrity of the profession, and the argument from potential abuse (known as the slippery-slope argument).Less
Something is amiss with the debate over euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. On the one side were liberals, who thought physician-assisted suicide and perhaps voluntary active euthanasia were ethically acceptable and should be legal; on the other side were conservatives, who believed assisted dying was immoral and/or dangerous to legalize as a matter of public policy. This chapter explores the richness of this debate by showing something of the terrain of the debate and the figures that have inhabited it, both the public figures and the academic ones partly behind the scenes. It examines the principal arguments for assisted dying, namely, the argument from autonomy and the argument from relief of pain and suffering, as well as the principal arguments against it, namely, the argument from the intrinsic wrongness of killing, the argument from the integrity of the profession, and the argument from potential abuse (known as the slippery-slope argument).
Yuval Ginbar
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199540914
- eISBN:
- 9780191716256
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199540914.003.0008
- Subject:
- Law, Human Rights and Immigration
This chapter considers whether there is, in extreme situations, a ‘public morality’ that is distinct from ‘private morality’ and its implications on the ‘ticking bomb’ debate, including a discussion ...
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This chapter considers whether there is, in extreme situations, a ‘public morality’ that is distinct from ‘private morality’ and its implications on the ‘ticking bomb’ debate, including a discussion of the ‘dirty hands’ dilemma. Theorists have argued that there are differences between action in the private and public spheres relating to representation, numbers, impersonality and impartiality, violence and consequences. However, those justifying torture in a ticking bomb situation have relied on general consequentialist arguments rather than limiting them to the public sphere or to officials. The effects of torture by officials would nevertheless be much more extensive than if inflicted by a private individual, and officials have a positive duty to protect the population. Theorists have argued that in the real world citizens must limit the powers of leaders, including by absolute prohibitions based on general moral grounds.Less
This chapter considers whether there is, in extreme situations, a ‘public morality’ that is distinct from ‘private morality’ and its implications on the ‘ticking bomb’ debate, including a discussion of the ‘dirty hands’ dilemma. Theorists have argued that there are differences between action in the private and public spheres relating to representation, numbers, impersonality and impartiality, violence and consequences. However, those justifying torture in a ticking bomb situation have relied on general consequentialist arguments rather than limiting them to the public sphere or to officials. The effects of torture by officials would nevertheless be much more extensive than if inflicted by a private individual, and officials have a positive duty to protect the population. Theorists have argued that in the real world citizens must limit the powers of leaders, including by absolute prohibitions based on general moral grounds.
Yuval Ginbar
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199540914
- eISBN:
- 9780191716256
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199540914.003.0009
- Subject:
- Law, Human Rights and Immigration
This chapter examines ‘slippery slope’ and other dangers of states resorting to torturing terrorists in ticking bomb situations. First, general consequentialist reasons are cited supporting an ...
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This chapter examines ‘slippery slope’ and other dangers of states resorting to torturing terrorists in ticking bomb situations. First, general consequentialist reasons are cited supporting an absolute prohibition on torture in the real world, because of the extent of harm that would result if torture were ever to be allowed. Specific problems in the immediate context, including certainty, immediacy, deciding whom to torture, the effectiveness of torture, and alternatives thereto are examined, as are problems in the wider context, including the ‘institutionalization trap’, the legitimacy torture would accord other inhumane means of fighting terrorism and crime, the effect of torture on conflicts, resort to torture as a victory for terrorism, and the ramifications of legalising torture in a ticking bomb situation for laws and their enforcement. Finally, the Abu Ghraib torture scandal is described as the quintessential ‘slippery slope’ torture case.Less
This chapter examines ‘slippery slope’ and other dangers of states resorting to torturing terrorists in ticking bomb situations. First, general consequentialist reasons are cited supporting an absolute prohibition on torture in the real world, because of the extent of harm that would result if torture were ever to be allowed. Specific problems in the immediate context, including certainty, immediacy, deciding whom to torture, the effectiveness of torture, and alternatives thereto are examined, as are problems in the wider context, including the ‘institutionalization trap’, the legitimacy torture would accord other inhumane means of fighting terrorism and crime, the effect of torture on conflicts, resort to torture as a victory for terrorism, and the ramifications of legalising torture in a ticking bomb situation for laws and their enforcement. Finally, the Abu Ghraib torture scandal is described as the quintessential ‘slippery slope’ torture case.
K. B. E. E. Eimeleus
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- May 2020
- ISBN:
- 9781501747403
- eISBN:
- 9781501747427
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501747403.003.0016
- Subject:
- History, Russian and Former Soviet Union History
This chapter distinguishes four methods of turning in place. The first method is only suitable for long skis without heel straps. This method works regardless of ski length and location, whether flat ...
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This chapter distinguishes four methods of turning in place. The first method is only suitable for long skis without heel straps. This method works regardless of ski length and location, whether flat terrain or slope; also, it is faster than the others. The next method is applicable to long skis that are firmly attached to the foot. But it is slow and better suited to flat terrain. The third method is much faster, requires very little space, and is easily executed even on an incline. However, it is only suitable for short skis that are securely attached to the foot. The fourth method of turning is the fastest. This method is suitable for all kinds of skis but requires a lot of practice and agility.Less
This chapter distinguishes four methods of turning in place. The first method is only suitable for long skis without heel straps. This method works regardless of ski length and location, whether flat terrain or slope; also, it is faster than the others. The next method is applicable to long skis that are firmly attached to the foot. But it is slow and better suited to flat terrain. The third method is much faster, requires very little space, and is easily executed even on an incline. However, it is only suitable for short skis that are securely attached to the foot. The fourth method of turning is the fastest. This method is suitable for all kinds of skis but requires a lot of practice and agility.
David P. Feldman
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- December 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199566433
- eISBN:
- 9780191774966
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199566433.003.0007
- Subject:
- Physics, Theoretical, Computational, and Statistical Physics
This chapter examines the different kinds of behaviour that arise when linear functions are iterated. It looks at a number of different linear functions, each having at most one fixed point whose ...
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This chapter examines the different kinds of behaviour that arise when linear functions are iterated. It looks at a number of different linear functions, each having at most one fixed point whose stability is investigated using graphical iteration techniques. The main goal is to identify properties of a line that make its fixed point stable or unstable. One such property is whether or not the slope is greater or less than 1. If the slope of the linear function is negative, the orbits will oscillate around the fixed point. The chapter also considers what happens for slopes of +1 or -1.Less
This chapter examines the different kinds of behaviour that arise when linear functions are iterated. It looks at a number of different linear functions, each having at most one fixed point whose stability is investigated using graphical iteration techniques. The main goal is to identify properties of a line that make its fixed point stable or unstable. One such property is whether or not the slope is greater or less than 1. If the slope of the linear function is negative, the orbits will oscillate around the fixed point. The chapter also considers what happens for slopes of +1 or -1.
Shelly Kagan
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199895595
- eISBN:
- 9780199980093
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199895595.003.0003
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
This chapter is concerned with desert graphs, which help clarify and demonstrate the complexity of the topic of desert. The first section includes graphs that explain the fault forfeits first view ...
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This chapter is concerned with desert graphs, which help clarify and demonstrate the complexity of the topic of desert. The first section includes graphs that explain the fault forfeits first view and its two extensions. It then studies varying slopes, graphs that depict the desert line of two different individuals, and rotation. The next section discusses the concept of peak, which represents the exact level of suffering or happiness a person actually deserves. It also includes a comparison of the eastern and western slopes of one and two individuals, as well as a section on the Sym Mountain. This chapter also introduces the mountain as the characteristic shape of an individual desert line.Less
This chapter is concerned with desert graphs, which help clarify and demonstrate the complexity of the topic of desert. The first section includes graphs that explain the fault forfeits first view and its two extensions. It then studies varying slopes, graphs that depict the desert line of two different individuals, and rotation. The next section discusses the concept of peak, which represents the exact level of suffering or happiness a person actually deserves. It also includes a comparison of the eastern and western slopes of one and two individuals, as well as a section on the Sym Mountain. This chapter also introduces the mountain as the characteristic shape of an individual desert line.
K. B. E. E. Eimeleus
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- May 2020
- ISBN:
- 9781501747403
- eISBN:
- 9781501747427
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501747403.003.0017
- Subject:
- History, Russian and Former Soviet Union History
This chapter concerns mountain skis that are securely attached to the foot. Such skis allow various methods of hill climbing because they are easier to control than running skis that have no heel ...
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This chapter concerns mountain skis that are securely attached to the foot. Such skis allow various methods of hill climbing because they are easier to control than running skis that have no heel straps. One has to know how to climb a hill, ski back down while making turns, and in general control one's skis. Only then can one move about in variable terrain and perform jumps with confidence. The chapter shows that one can surmount a small slope without special exertion simply by lifting the front part of the skis and driving them back into the snow more forcefully, thereby preventing a slide backward.Less
This chapter concerns mountain skis that are securely attached to the foot. Such skis allow various methods of hill climbing because they are easier to control than running skis that have no heel straps. One has to know how to climb a hill, ski back down while making turns, and in general control one's skis. Only then can one move about in variable terrain and perform jumps with confidence. The chapter shows that one can surmount a small slope without special exertion simply by lifting the front part of the skis and driving them back into the snow more forcefully, thereby preventing a slide backward.
K. B. E. E. Eimeleus
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- May 2020
- ISBN:
- 9781501747403
- eISBN:
- 9781501747427
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501747403.003.0019
- Subject:
- History, Russian and Former Soviet Union History
This chapter demonstrates how to use the pole as a brake. In the forest or on rough and unfamiliar terrain, one will often need one's poles to decrease speed and for steep turns. In this situation, ...
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This chapter demonstrates how to use the pole as a brake. In the forest or on rough and unfamiliar terrain, one will often need one's poles to decrease speed and for steep turns. In this situation, the skier should join them together and hold on with either one or both hands, either in the front or to the side, with the ends pointing backward. The most useful pole for this is one fitted with an iron disc. Sometimes on a difficult slope, the skier has to lean on the pole to keep from losing their balance. During a mountain descent, the poles are not used as much. To brake, the chapter instructs to hold the pole either between the skis or to one side of them.Less
This chapter demonstrates how to use the pole as a brake. In the forest or on rough and unfamiliar terrain, one will often need one's poles to decrease speed and for steep turns. In this situation, the skier should join them together and hold on with either one or both hands, either in the front or to the side, with the ends pointing backward. The most useful pole for this is one fitted with an iron disc. Sometimes on a difficult slope, the skier has to lean on the pole to keep from losing their balance. During a mountain descent, the poles are not used as much. To brake, the chapter instructs to hold the pole either between the skis or to one side of them.
Franklin G. Miller and Robert D. Truog
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199739172
- eISBN:
- 9780199918683
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199739172.003.0009
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
Conventional medical ethics relating to end-of-life decisions draws two bright lines between ethically permitted and forbidden practices. Clinicians may withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment ...
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Conventional medical ethics relating to end-of-life decisions draws two bright lines between ethically permitted and forbidden practices. Clinicians may withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment but must never administer lethal treatment. Additionally, palliative care that relieves suffering, even at the risk of hastening death, is permitted, but active euthanasia is forbidden. Drawing on the argument in Chapter 1, we reject both of these bright lines. It does not follow that these end-of-life practices are morally equivalent. Patients have a right to decide to withdraw life support and a right to receive palliative care; they have no right to receive lethal treatment. We argue that contrary to the traditional view, active euthanasia as a treatment of last resort is compatible with the role morality and the professional integrity of physicians. However, it raises complex issues of policy that make it an open question as to whether this practice should be legally permitted.Less
Conventional medical ethics relating to end-of-life decisions draws two bright lines between ethically permitted and forbidden practices. Clinicians may withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment but must never administer lethal treatment. Additionally, palliative care that relieves suffering, even at the risk of hastening death, is permitted, but active euthanasia is forbidden. Drawing on the argument in Chapter 1, we reject both of these bright lines. It does not follow that these end-of-life practices are morally equivalent. Patients have a right to decide to withdraw life support and a right to receive palliative care; they have no right to receive lethal treatment. We argue that contrary to the traditional view, active euthanasia as a treatment of last resort is compatible with the role morality and the professional integrity of physicians. However, it raises complex issues of policy that make it an open question as to whether this practice should be legally permitted.
