I think it's important to make our language clear, so that it is less likely to be used to confuse or manipulate.

I'm trying to guard against sophistry and confusion - not cause it.

I think the threat of physical turture is basically equivalent to physical torture. Technically, nobody fears past torture. We only fear future torture. Even if we are being physically tortured right now, what we fear is that the torture we feel right now will continue into the future.

The wording in the Geneva Convention rejects any form of coercion for the sake of information extraction - which probably is intended to discourage more than just threats of physical torture.

So it really is important that we draw the line with actual words and examples. Otherwise, different people will take away their own interpretation, and try to justify whatever they want.