Ethics: Theory and Practice

Jacques P. Thiroux Keith W. Krasemann

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Chapter Twelve
Lying, Cheating, Breaking Promises, and Stealing

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Nonconsequentialist and Consequentialist Views

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

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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

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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

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Arguments Against Lying

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

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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
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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

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Arguments Against Cheating

Unfair and unjust to others Falsified qualifications for professions, for example, will have a serious effect on everyone Can affect the cheaters relationships with others

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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? Its all right to cheat, so long as you dont get caught
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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
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Breaking Promises
Breaking promises is a form of dishonesty, as is cheating In earlier days, a persons 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
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Arguments Against Breaking Promises

Breaking promises destroys human relationships Again, the Domino argument applies here Breaking promises seriously affects peoples life choices Breaking promises destroys general social trust Loss of personal integrity may result
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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

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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

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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 shouldnt count on promises being kept

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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

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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
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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

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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

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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

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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 doesnt get caught

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Arguments For Stealing

It can be condoned when it involves stealing government and military secrets from potential or real enemies so as to protect ones own national security

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