When is lying acceptable?
Started by: WyzDM | Replies: 48 | Views: 3,239 | Closed
Dec 15, 2013 4:43 PM #1124535
If you're saying that only the consequences matter then I agree with you on that, but in that case the right action is the one which brings about the best consequences. You could say that a person is good if they intend to do good things, even if they fail, but that still involves assigning a value to their objective. Intentions cannot be entirely isolated from reality. It just isn't possible.
Dec 24, 2013 2:17 PM #1129254
Quote from CronosZed but the bacon. What about the bacon.
I generally agree with Zed, but Cronos's argument is far more convincing.
Dec 24, 2013 8:19 PM #1129402
Quote from ZedLying is acceptable if, and only if, it will make the world a better place with some degree of certainty.
What makes a better place? Is it one with less freedoms but more governed control, a system depicted in George Orwell's 1984? What of hiding the truth as in the The Giver? That was a perfect utopia, no pain and no suffering. Those worlds built upon distorting reality would be better according to this philosophy. And if we go that far, we can reason why lying is acceptable at any time, because it works for some benefit in due course.
Quote from CronosZed but the bacon. What about the bacon.
Dec 24, 2013 9:55 PM #1129447
Quote from WyzDMWhat makes a better place? Is it one with less freedoms but more governed control, a system depicted in George Orwell's 1984?
I'd be cool with that. I never really understood why everyone was against totalitarian regimes in and of themselves.
More generally, if you could be happy forever at the expense of living in a fantasy, wouldn't you go for it?
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Dec 30, 2013 5:28 PM #1132875
I just personally wouldn't go as far as say that lying is never acceptable. It really depends on how you look at it to be honest.
Dec 30, 2013 5:29 PM #1132878
Quote from RaptorI just personally wouldn't go as far as say that lying is never acceptable. It really depends on how you look at it to be honest.
yes it is, but i think that this thread is dead already
Jan 5, 2014 12:45 PM #1136567
That depends entirely by what you mean by "acceptable".
Do you mean morally, ethically, or perhaps legally?
Do you mean morally, ethically, or perhaps legally?
Jan 7, 2014 10:26 AM #1137484
You do realise morally and ethically are synonymous terms? And since no laws prohibit lying, the legal acceptability isn't so much a debate as it is a listing of a fact.
I think this thread was pretty much dead from the start - it wasn't really a debate, and the answer's pretty one sided; if it results in a good result, lying is acceptable. I think that's pretty much been near unanimous. I don't understand where the quandary is.
I think this thread was pretty much dead from the start - it wasn't really a debate, and the answer's pretty one sided; if it results in a good result, lying is acceptable. I think that's pretty much been near unanimous. I don't understand where the quandary is.
Jan 7, 2014 4:03 PM #1137673
Quote from walker90234And since no laws prohibit lying, the legal acceptability isn't so much a debate as it is a listing of a fact.
Slander? Libel? Perjury? Defamation? Misrepresentation? Counterfeiting?
There are plenty of instances where lying is prohibited by law.
Jan 8, 2014 12:25 PM #1137989
In some situations, it's best if people don't know the truth.
Lying is acceptable if its for the best.
Lying is acceptable if its for the best.
Feb 3, 2014 1:13 AM #1151792
Lying is straight-out not telling the truth. Surprising or tricking is not lying. So lying is NEVER acceptable, but tricking is. Tricking is not lying; but don't abuse this. Waking up at 4 and saying you woke up at 11 and then saying you are tricking is not acceptable.
Feb 3, 2014 1:15 AM #1151795
Quote from AsheroLying is straight-out not telling the truth. Surprising or tricking is not lying. So lying is NEVER acceptable, but tricking is. Tricking is not lying; but don't abuse this. Waking up at 4 and saying you woke up at 11 and then saying you are tricking is not acceptable.
lying is acceptable if it protects you or your family as long as they have done nothing wrong. like if a terrorist captured you and wanted to blow up a building i would lie and say it was in the desert or something lol
Feb 3, 2014 1:19 AM #1151798
Quote from AsheroLying is straight-out not telling the truth. Surprising or tricking is not lying. So lying is NEVER acceptable, but tricking is. Tricking is not lying; but don't abuse this. Waking up at 4 and saying you woke up at 11 and then saying you are tricking is not acceptable.
For the sake of argument, I will accept your premise that lying is wrong and tricking is fine and it is the speaker who decides whether they are lying or tricking. What is it that determines whether or not you are abusing this system?
Feb 12, 2014 5:27 AM #1157034
As shown on this thread, it depends on what the person considers lying and morally/ethically/'legally' so, I ask, Mr WyzDM, what are you trying to get at with this question? What is the point?
That was not a perfect society and the book exists to demostrate it.
Well, they generally haven't ever worked.
No. It's fake so, you're not actually happy happy, you're just - to put it simply - high.
Quote from WyzDMWhat makes a better place? Is it one with less freedoms but more governed control, a system depicted in George Orwell's 1984? What of hiding the truth as in the The Giver? That was a perfect utopia, no pain and no suffering. Those worlds built upon distorting reality would be better according to this philosophy. And if we go that far, we can reason why lying is acceptable at any time, because it works for some benefit in due course.
That was not a perfect society and the book exists to demostrate it.
Quote from ZedI'd be cool with that. I never really understood why everyone was against totalitarian regimes in and of themselves.
Well, they generally haven't ever worked.
More generally, if you could be happy forever at the expense of living in a fantasy, wouldn't you go for it?
No. It's fake so, you're not actually happy happy, you're just - to put it simply - high.
Feb 12, 2014 8:10 AM #1157063
You can't be wrong about your own perceptions.