CIA used mock executions etc.

[Letum]

Originally Posted by Aramike

Man uses legs to cross street. Ergo, legs effective for crossing street.
Other man does not use legs to cross street. Ergo, the first man's legs are useless for crossing street.

No, the (invalid) arguments run:

If 'x' works then people would use it
People use 'x'
Therefore 'x' works

If 'x' works then people would use it
People don't use 'x'
Therefore 'x' doesn't works

i.e.

If using legs to cross the street works then people wouldn't use legs to cross the street
People use legs to cross the street
Therefore using legs to cross the street works

If using legs to cross the street works then people would use it
People don't use legs to cross the street
Therefore using legs to cross the street doesn't work

Neither argument is valid because they are of the form:

If 'x' then 'y'
'y'
Therefore 'x'

If 'x' then 'y'
Not 'y'
Therefore not 'x'

In the 'legs' example 'x' is "using legs to cross the street works" and 'y' is
"people (would) use it".
In the torture example 'x' is "Torture works" and 'y' is "[any given
intelligence organiseation] (would) use it".