The ethics of lying

One of the things I think about is the ethics of lying.

Almost all ethical thought experiments will have a range of situations to consider. In this case maybe the extremes of telling a lie about one's age or weight to the Nazis are at the door and you’ve got Anne Frank hiding in the attic.

Is lying part of your ethical code, part of the ethical code you are willing to impose on other people?

I don't think there is a moral right or wrong here - unless maybe nonmaleficence comes into play. I think it more a matter of personal ethics, which vary based on many factors.

@they said
One of the things I think about is the ethics of lying.

Almost all ethical thought experiments will have a range of situations to consider. In this case maybe the extremes of telling a lie about one's age or weight to the Nazis are at the door and you’ve got Anne Frank hiding in the attic.

Is lying part of your ethical code, part of the ethical code you are willing to imp ...[text shortened]... ence comes into play. I think it more a matter of personal ethics, which vary based on many factors.

@they said
One of the things I think about is the ethics of lying.

Almost all ethical thought experiments will have a range of situations to consider. In this case maybe the extremes of telling a lie about one's age or weight to the Nazis are at the door and you’ve got Anne Frank hiding in the attic.

Is lying part of your ethical code, part of the ethical code you are willing to imp ...[text shortened]... ence comes into play. I think it more a matter of personal ethics, which vary based on many factors.

@hells-caretaker said
Interesting 'they'. Depends on the goal or intention, maybe values or ethics are inconsequential to that end. Diaries are such a good reference on a persons insight at that time they put 'pen to paper'.

Prey continue?

@very-rusty said
Do you remember the man called Trump?

He would never let the truth get in the way of a lie!!!

-VR

@very-rusty said
Do you remember the man called Trump?

He would never let the truth get in the way of a lie!!!

-VR

The will to live can be an undeniable factor.

@hells-caretaker said
Interesting 'they'. Depends on the goal or intention, maybe values or ethics are inconsequential to that end. Diaries are such a good reference on a persons insight at that time they put 'pen to paper'.

Prey continue?

@they said
It feels like goals and intentions change - but values and ethics don't. But maybe I have that wrong.

I love the diary reference - would someone lie in a journal? Lie to themselves? Maybe to make themselves feel better about something? I had not considered that before.

@they said
Nice exclamation points - they must be cheap where you live :-)

Yes, but what about you? You have been accused in this forum of making threads about you. Here is your chance to do that and no one can say anything negative (although they will of course).

Is lying part of your ethical code? Or maybe you would rather not say, which is fair too. It is not really something everyone is comfortable talking about.

@handyandy said
People lie to themselves on a daily basis, with or without a journal.

@very-rusty said
Do you have an proof of that that you can show me, Andy? 😉

@they said
It feels like goals and intentions change - but values and ethics don't. But maybe I have that wrong.

I love the diary reference - would someone lie in a journal? Lie to themselves? Maybe to make themselves feel better about something? I had not considered that before.

@handyandy said
Please don't let this thread be yet another one about you!

@HandyAndy
We all lie but for different reasons. If we can spare a person unnecessary worries by avoiding giving them the truth in a difficult situation, we would probably do so, if it didn't mean compromising consequences for somebody else. I think that would agree with good ethics.