An entire book completely dedicated to the ethics of the ticking time bomb scenario, which I am certain most people have heard a version of at some point in their adult lives. Basically, does saving the many justify the torture of one individual? The author gives several different versions of the hypothetical situation, and with each example, each slight change of the scenario, he constantly asks us whether torture is right or wrong. He is quick to point out that in reality a situation like this could never actually happen, there are too many variables in the hypothetical question that just don’t make sense. The question itself is one to get people thinking, a topic that has been hotly debated since the terrorist attacks of the early 2000s.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys thought invoking questions and listening to both sides of an argument. It’s also great for anyone who loves movies, literature, and television shows that depict torture, as the author uses several examples from the above mentioned media platforms as he discusses the ethics. I found myself not only intrigued with points I had never thought of before, but also interested in a few books that the author used as examples, and I was reminded of an old show that I was fond of many years ago. Although the author is against torture, he does discuss the reasonings and justifications given by those who agree with it. I am always welcoming of a storyteller that discusses both sides of an argument. And while the book did not make me change my mind on what I think about torture, I did see the reasoning behind the side that I am in opposition of.
Nonfiction and Nonsense 