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**leijggigf** · 02-10-2011, 07:00 AM

The philosopher Immanuel Kant says that the human ideal is to live the life of reason together. This means whenever we act, we must be able to explain to each other what rule we are acting on and why that rule is justifiable. But lying to each other can't ever be a justifiable rule, and that's why any lie is out.
Aristotle says that ethics is all about learning to be a good person with virtues like honesty, kindness, and self control. So a lie doesn't fit with these virtues but if the virtues give yourself a very good reason to lie, you should, but otherwise, you shouldn't.

So what position does the Dharma take? Should we never under any circumstances tell a lie? Or does it depend on the situation and using judgment to figure out which is the greater good (or the better of two evils)?

02-10-2011, 07:00 AM	#1
leijggigf Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 398 Senior Member	Ethics and Philosophy of Lying The philosopher Immanuel Kant says that the human ideal is to live the life of reason together. This means whenever we act, we must be able to explain to each other what rule we are acting on and why that rule is justifiable. But lying to each other can't ever be a justifiable rule, and that's why any lie is out. Aristotle says that ethics is all about learning to be a good person with virtues like honesty, kindness, and self control. So a lie doesn't fit with these virtues but if the virtues give yourself a very good reason to lie, you should, but otherwise, you shouldn't. So what position does the Dharma take? Should we never under any circumstances tell a lie? Or does it depend on the situation and using judgment to figure out which is the greater good (or the better of two evils)?
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