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UF Philosophy Corner - Ethics by MatthewDBA2008-08-27 07:22:49
  Okay, here's a follow-up question. by MatthewDBA 2008-08-27 08:48:25
It looks like people seem to agree that in general, there can be cases in which lying is ethical behavior - even for "typical" systems of ethics that lay stress on looking out for others.

But then, why single out a lie, or distinguish it from an untruth? If telling the truth, or telling an untruth without intent to deceive, or lying can all be evaluated as ethical in some situations and unethical in others, then why do we care about whether a statement is true, false, or a lie?
[ Reply ]
    Doesn't it come back to harm? by bitflipper2008-08-27 08:52:49
      In that case by MatthewDBA2008-08-27 08:56:20
        Perhaps it goes back to evaluation of harm. by fractaledge2008-08-27 09:13:27
          There is that. There is also the fact by bitflipper2008-08-27 09:20:32
        cost/benefit by tallastro2008-08-27 10:41:26
          But if people are considering deception by MatthewDBA2008-08-27 10:46:20
            Did you notice that in the vast majority by tallastro2008-08-27 11:10:22
              That's a good point by MatthewDBA2008-08-27 11:14:51
                Politics springs to mind but is that an ethical by tallastro2008-08-27 11:45:12
        Because lying has very different harm in different by hej2008-08-27 15:55:44
      For the bonus question: by MatthewDBA2008-08-27 09:47:03
        So there must be a pragmatic component by bitflipper2008-08-27 09:50:51
          I don't think that's necessarily the case by MatthewDBA2008-08-27 09:56:09
        True hedonism is self limiting. by oldphart2008-08-27 09:56:54
          That's why I specified by MatthewDBA2008-08-27 09:59:42
    Because it can be important in a different context by oldphart2008-08-27 09:47:32

 

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