Ethics: Theory and Practice Jacques P. Thiroux Keith W. Krasemann

Lying, Cheating, Breaking Promises, and Stealing Chapter Twelve Lying, Cheating, Breaking Promises, and Stealing

Definition of Key Terms Lying is an intentionally deceptive message in the form of a statement or piece of information deliberately presented as being true – anything meant to deceive or give a wrong impression A white lie is a falsehood not meant to injure anyone and is often considered as having little moral import

Definition of Key Terms Lies of commission are direct statements that are outright lies Lies of omission involve not stating certain information that is vital to an important human activity Cheating is deceiving by trickery, swindling, misleading, and acting dishonestly or practicing fraud

Definition of Key Terms A promise is a declaration or vow that one will or will not do something, and to break a promise is to fail to conform to or to act contrary to or violate the promise Stealing is taking something without right or permission, generally in a surreptitious way

Nonconsequentialist and Consequentialist Views Rule nonconsequentialist views are opposed to any of the four acts at any time Consequentialist and act nonconsequentialist views

Nonconsequentialist and Consequentialist Views Act nonconsequentialists would not necessarily take a stand for or against these issues unless they felt like doing so Consequentialist theories would accept any of the four actions if the greatest good consequences would result

Arguments Against Lying Lying may obscure objectives of those lied to It may hide relevant alternatives It causes distrust in human relationships The Domino argument seems to have more relevance here than it does with other moral issues, because very often one lie of necessity leads to another to protect the first, and so on

Arguments Against Lying Lying gives an unfair advantage or power to the liar Lying has a deleterious effect upon society in general

Arguments for Lying Lying is justified in defense of the innocent, including self-defense Lying is justified for reasons of national security, provided this reason is not abused Lying is moral when it is done in order to protect trade secrets in business Little white lies should be allowed as a way of getting along with others in our daily lives

Moderate Position Generally accepts the attitude that “honesty is the best policy” One must be very careful of the consequences of any lie, even white lies Lying is not the only alternative to telling hurtful truths – one may tell this truth gently, compassionately, and with hope wherever possible

Moderate Position If people have to lie, then they must try to make the consequences of the lying as harmless as possible One should try to avoid habitual lying One should be aware that lying can also have a bad effect upon the liar as well as the person lied to

Moderate Position One should never lie about important matters that may affect the recipient of the lie adversely Lying can be allowed when there is no other recourse and when innocent life is really at stake

Cheating Cheating is related to lying, in that deception and dishonesty are both being practiced, but lying generally is verbal whereas cheating is basically nonverbal

Arguments Against Cheating Unfair and unjust to others Falsified qualifications for professions, for example, will have a serious effect on everyone Can affect the cheater’s relationships with others

Arguments For Cheating The world is a dog-eat-dog jungle, one in which you must often cheat to survive and get ahead Also, winning is everything, no matter how you do it Everyone does it; therefore, why not cheat? It’s all right to cheat, so long as you don’t get caught

Breaking Promises Implied agreements such as the following allow us to live safely and meaningfully with each other in society: Not to do harm to one another Not to lie or cheat To obey laws imposed for the general good To stop at red lights and stop signs To treat each other with respect and dignity To keep promises we make

Breaking Promises Breaking promises is a form of dishonesty, as is cheating In earlier days, a person’s promise or word was an integral part of reputation, but now many promises or agreements have to be written down for two reasons: They are more complex Fewer people actually honor their agreements

Arguments Against Breaking Promises Breaking promises destroys human relationships Again, the Domino argument applies here Breaking promises seriously affects people’s life choices Breaking promises destroys general social trust Loss of personal integrity may result

Arguments for Breaking Promises One should have the individual freedom to decide which promises to keep and which to break Any rules against breaking promises are a denial of such freedom

Arguments for Breaking Promises Breaking promises should be allowed when more important moral issues are involved, such as protecting and saving human life It should be allowed when no harm is done to anyone by breaking the promise

Arguments for Breaking Promises Promises made in unusual situations, for example, as to satisfy someone on his or her deathbed, can justifiably be broken later on, especially for good reasons Just as we often say, “buyer beware,” recipients of promises also should beware – they shouldn’t count on promises being kept

Stealing A basic assumption in most societies is that people are entitled to what they have inherited, invested, created, and earned Therefore, stealing generally is considered to be immoral

Arguments Against Stealing People have property rights, which are often considered as important or even more important than life itself Stealing breaks down the trust people have in one another Stealing constitutes a serious invasion of privacy The Domino argument

Arguments Against Stealing Stealing has destructive effects, both physical and psychological, upon victims Thieves themselves can be seriously affected through loss of integrity and through punishment if they are caught As with the other three issues, stealing also has a bad effect on society in general

Arguments For Stealing We live in a corrupt economic system in which the rich get richer and the poor get poorer Sometimes the only way to achieve some sort of balance between these inequities is to steal

Arguments For Stealing Stealing should be allowed in crucial emergency situations, such as to prevent the starvation of children Stealing is a way out for those who crave a life of thrills, adventure, and excitement

Arguments For Stealing It is allowable to steal from institutions and organizations because they can afford it and end up with most of our money anyway As with cheating, one ought to be allowed to steal as long as one doesn’t get caught

Arguments For Stealing It can be condoned when it involves stealing government and military secrets from potential or real enemies so as to protect one’s own national security