I maintain the importance of an absolute prohibition…
“I maintain the importance of an absolute prohibition against torture, while acknowledging that even absolute prohibitions can sometimes be broken. If that is a contradiction, it is a contradiction that ethics has to embrace, or else it becomes like glass: hard, clear, but fatally inflexible.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Ethics must balance firm principles with realistic flexibility, recognizing that strict bans can be challenged in practice.
In simple terms: Principles need flexibility to stay relevant.
Key Takeaway
Accept tension between rules and reality.
Themes
ethics
principles
flexibility
human rights
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
ethical
reflective
When to use this quote
- lawmaking
- human rights advocacy
- medical ethics
- military policy
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
pragmatism
contradiction
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we protect rights while allowing necessary exceptions?
- When should flexibility override absolute rules?
A Different Perspective
Absolute bans may be impossible to enforce without nuance.