'Torture 'works' in that torture victims speak. The information
gained is notoriously unreliable, however, as noted since the time of
Aristotle. Accounts of torture from the Inquisitions exhibit how the
most delirious tales were elicited from the victims. This information
served to confirm the prior beliefs of the torturers. Bad weather, for
instance, was thought at the time to be caused by airborne demons in
consort with human 'witches.' In the delirium of torture, torture
victims - those accused of being witches - confirmed these beliefs
while providing the names of other 'witches' who would reconfirm both
the preposterous prior beliefs and the inquisitors authority. The
information was, of course, not true . Yet, it was meaningful information in that it fit extant prior beliefs in a historical context framed as a medieval version of the state of necessity,' - Professor Thomas C. Hilde, Testimony before the U.S. Helsinki Commission, Field Hearing, University of Maryland , College Park, December 10, 2007."
gained is notoriously unreliable, however, as noted since the time of
Aristotle. Accounts of torture from the Inquisitions exhibit how the
most delirious tales were elicited from the victims. This information
served to confirm the prior beliefs of the torturers. Bad weather, for
instance, was thought at the time to be caused by airborne demons in
consort with human 'witches.' In the delirium of torture, torture
victims - those accused of being witches - confirmed these beliefs
while providing the names of other 'witches' who would reconfirm both
the preposterous prior beliefs and the inquisitors authority. The
information was, of course, not true . Yet, it was meaningful information in that it fit extant prior beliefs in a historical context framed as a medieval version of the state of necessity,' - Professor Thomas C. Hilde, Testimony before the U.S. Helsinki Commission, Field Hearing, University of Maryland , College Park, December 10, 2007."
