Friday, February 6, 2015
When is it acceptable to, and why would anyone ever, lie?
During the discussion in class today, most of the questions were set forth to make Plato seem that he was unjust in his means telling the noble lie. Which forced a good amount of scenarios of whether or not lying would ever be just? Admittingly it seemed that in all situations it is always better to tell the truth than to tell the little white lies, no matter what the situation was. My question that was brought from this is, “When is it ever acceptable to lie?” If it was as easy as what we discussed to tell someone the truth no matter what it may have been; then why do people lie in the first place? Putting myself out there, I used to believe if the means justified the cause, then living would be better than telling that person the truth. Like the puppy reference, I used. I felt that, not telling your child that his/her dog has died and instead replacing the dog with another dog that looks just like the original one, would be an acceptable thing. Even if the child thought something was different, I would feel that it would be better to just say it’s the same one and never tell them. Or maybe a more controversial lie would be something like your father was really a bank robber but your parents kept it a secret from you so you would never go into that lifestyle. Then let’s say one day that he was killed in the act of getting away. Would you really want to be told the truth instead of being told that he was killed in a situation like a carjacking, so that you will keep your image of your father who you believe he was a great man? However, the what-if games could go on. I want to see what you think. Is it ever acceptable to lie? If so, what is a case that you think it would be. If not, why do you think anyone lies in the first place?
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I believe there are endless situation where lying could be seen as an option that is better for most people involved. When looking at the big picture of the reason behind the noble lie--it was ultimately better for the city/state as a whole because it assured order, commitment and strive. I believe a lot of people lie to avoid unwanted situations, and to look out for the majority people involved.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a very interesting topic indeed. Of course it's easy to say that telling a lie should never be acceptable, but the truth of the matter is, people lie. I believe people do this to avoid confrontation, restore order, or feel they are benefiting everyone in the situation. After saying all that though, I feel like the world would be a better place without the lies-- no matter how big or small. I feel like the individuals being lied to are only going to suffer worse once they realize the truth. The feeling of telling the truth in a tough situation may seem hurtful at times but I think it feels a whole lot better than the guilt one feels while lying.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe there is a case when lying is acceptable. People use examples such as Santa Claus to justify a noble lie, but what if the "noble lie" is never told. Simply telling a child Santa does not exist will not destroy their child. Are there any benefits of telling a child Santa does exist? If there are any, why can't they be gained through more just actions. I believe that the benefits of a "noble lie" can be gained through a more noble and just means.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe there is a case when lying is acceptable. People use examples such as Santa Claus to justify a noble lie, but what if the "noble lie" is never told. Simply telling a child Santa does not exist will not destroy their child. Are there any benefits of telling a child Santa does exist? If there are any, why can't they be gained through more just actions. I believe that the benefits of a "noble lie" can be gained through a more noble and just means.
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