Telling lies for a better world?

Authors

Brian Martin, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

15434

Publication Details

Martin, B. (2003). Telling lies for a better world?. Social Anarchism, (35), 27-39.

Link to publisher version (URL)

Social Anarchism

Abstract

Lies have a bad reputation. Telling the truth is normally considered to be a good thing. One conventional view of lying is that it is bad in itself and should be avoided at all costs. This is the absolutist view of Immanuel Kant. Another conventional view is that the consequences of lying are often bad, so lying should be avoided except in extreme circumstances. Bok (1978), in a classic treatment, argues that lying should be kept to a minimum because its consequences are so often undesirable.