Mid: The ‘Ticking-Time Bomb’ Scenario - Michael Rip
Thursday, September 17, 2009, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Michigan State University Union, Third Floor, Lake Ontario Room, E. Lansing, Michigan, View Map
Presented by Michael Rip, PhD, Director of Program in Public Health, Michigan State University
Description
The so-called 'ticking-time bomb' scenario was, and still is, called upon by many prominent politicians, intelligence officials, military officers, lawyers, and media commentators, as well as citizens of the U.S., to justify the use of torture in a liberal democracy. Simply stated, the argument is that if a terrorist suspect has been arrested or captured and who is in possession of critical knowledge about the location of a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapon that will soon detonate and cause great loss of life, then our country can permit that person to be tortured to get that information. This essentially is the basis for the wildly popular Fox TV show, "24." Most Americans accept this as a reasonable exception to the 'no torture' rules of law and Geneva Conventions.
About the Speaker
Dr. Michael Rip serves as Director of the PPH at Michigan State University. He is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Epidemiology and Criminal Justice. Rip is also a spatial epidemiologist and medical geographer with interests in reproductive and perinatal epidemiology.
He has conducted research in South Africa, and is the author of two books and numerous articles in reproductive and perinatal epidemiology, and care. Dr. Rip is currently researching the cruise missile attack on the El-Shifa Pharmaceutical Factory (Khartoum, Sudan) in August, 1998 and writing a third book: "Blunt Scalpel: Counter-Terrorism, Counter-Proliferation, and the U.S. Military.
Additional Details
Free parking is available in MSU Parking Ramp 6 after 6 pm.
Cost: Free for students and Friends of the Center. $6 general admission.
Contact: Christian Orlic, , 517-575-7461
