Lying Intro

8/8/2019 Lying Intro

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Lying, Introduction:A Sense of the Issue

Sissela Bok

Introduction to Ethics, PHIL 118Professor Douglas Olena


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Regard for the Truth

xxvii When regard for the truth has beenbroken down or even slightly weakened, allthings will remain doubtful. St. Augustine


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Regard for the Truth xxvii

Should physicians lie to dying patients?

Should professors exaggerate the excellence of

their students?Should parents conceal things from children?

Should social scientists deceive people toacquire research results?

Should government lawyers lie to members ofcongress?

Should journalists lie to informants to exposecorruption?


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Regard for the Truth xxviii

Duplicity can take so many forms, be presentto such different degrees, and have suchdifferent purposes and results.

Lines seem most difficult to draw, and aconsistent policy out of reach.

It is clear that the perspective of the deceiverand the deceived are radically different.


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Regard for the Truth xxviii

The requirement to be honest with patientshas been left out altogether from medicaloaths and codes of ethics, and is often ignored,if not actually disparaged, in the teaching ofmedicine.

(This may no longer be true after 25 years.)


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Regard for the Truth xxix

Lawyers manipulate the truth in court onbehalf of their clients.

Those in selling, advertising, or any form ofadvocacy may mislead the public and theircompetitors in order to achieve their goals.

Psychiatrists may distort information abouttheirpatients.

Police investigators, and so-called intelligenceoperators often have little compunction inusing falsehoods to gain the knowledge theyseek.


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Consequences xxix

The casual approach of professionals iswholly out of joint with the view taken bythose who have to cope with the consequencesof deception.


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Consequences xxx

In 1975, 69% of the respondents to a nationalpoll agreed that over the last ten years, thiscountrys leaders have consistently lied to thepeople.


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Consequences xxx

From 1966-1976 confidence in those runningmajor corporations dropped. Confidencedropped in:

Medicine: from 73% to 42%

Major companies: from 55% to 16%

Law firms: from 24% to 12%

Advertising agencies: 21% to 7%Suspicions of widespread professionalduplicity cannot alone account for the loss oftrust. But surely they aggravate it.


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Whats at Stake? xxx

We have a great deal at stake, I believe, in

becoming more clear about matters of truth-telling

Personally

Socially

Corporately

Politically


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How to Proceed xxxi, xxxii

Look to philosophical texts that deal with lying.

Look to the religious distinctions about lying.

Attempt to comprehend modern practices withrespect to current moral theories.

Examine lies, excuses and every other clear-cut instance of deception.

Examine examples of lies and deception.Understand the strategies of the liar andconsequences to the liar and those deceived.


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How to Proceed xxxiii

I want to stress the more vexing dilemmas ofordinary life; dilemmas which beset those whothink that their lies are too insignificant tomatter much, and those who believe that lyingcan protect someone or benefit society.

We need to look most searchingly, not at what

we would all reject as unconscionable, but atthose cases where many see good reasons tolie.


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How to Proceed xxxiv

If I can show that we have all been poorlyserved by the dominant practices, then themost important remaining questions are: Whatare the alternatives, for society and for each ofus individually, to merely going along withsuch practices?

What do we need to do to change thempersonally, corporately, societally andinstitutionally?


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How to Proceed xxxiv

This book is not an effort to dictateconclusions.

It is a practical guide meant to start aconversation about these issues.

Lying Intro

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