Louis Was it? What are you quoting and what is the context (I'm not criticizing- I don't know the source of the quote). But it seems to me that one could make that statement today depending on the context. The words you used, "psychologists participating in terror-related interrogations," does NOT under any circumstances condone the use of torture. So perhaps there is some clarifying context for the quote that would somehow include psychologists using certain techniques. Without knowing the context of the quote, it would seem to me that the implication of the quote you used includes the phrase, "ethical role" which would seem to me to indicate that the techniques should be applied with consideration not just of the letter of what is allowed but of the ethical principles included throughout the APA ethical standards. Those include a long history of prohibitions of application of the techniques and knowledge of our discipline in harmful or even potentially harmful ways. As I understand it the more recent statements of APA, of which I am not a member, were to clarify that position to some willing to read into ambiguities left in prior statements and make what were clearly unethical and immoral applications of those techniques. I do not believe that the APA ever condoned such applications. (And I have often been critical of APA. I'm not a member for a variety of professional reasons so I am not a defender of their practices on the whole- I just think your criticism here is a bit unfair and not actually reflecting good reasoning). Tim _______________________________ Timothy O. Shearon, PhD Professor and Chair Department of Psychology The College of Idaho Caldwell, ID 83605 email: [email protected]
teaching: intro to neuropsychology; psychopharmacology; general; history and systems "You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." Dorothy Parker -----Original Message----- From: Louis Schmier [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sun 4/26/2009 5:15 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] Interrogation Some of you were quick to quote the current APA president's denial of the morality of psychologists' assistance in tough, albeit torturous, interrogation techniques, but wasn't it stated APA policy in 2005--that might have been developed by a rigged panel--that psychologists participating in terror-related interrogations are fulfilling "a valuable and ethical role to assist in protecting our nation, other nations, and innocent civilians from harm" that was later to be the center of a vigorous dispute at the 2006 annual conference? Make it a good day. --Louis-- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.com Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org Valdosta State University Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\ (229-333-5947) /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__/\ \/\ / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ \ /\ //\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\ \_/__\ /\"If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \ don't practice on mole hills" - --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected]) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
<<winmail.dat>>
