socialy retarded

The lazy utilitarian (lying part 2)

Posted on 26. Aug, 2007 by Derrick in Philosophy

A lie is a lie, right? The philosopher Immanuel Kant argued that truth-telling is a “perfect duty,” one so basic that it cannot be overridden by other values. Kant said that lying was always morally wrong. He argued that all persons are born with an “intrinsic worth” that he called human dignity. This dignity derives from the fact that humans are uniquely cognitive, capable of freely making decisions, and guiding their conduct by reason. To be human, said Kant, is to have the rational power of free choice. To be ethical, is to respect that power in oneself.

I am not a Kantian in regards to honesty. I’m more of an untraditional utilitarian. Kantians or virtue ethicists ignore the only test necessary for judging the morality of a lie – balancing the benefits and harms of its consequences.

Utilitarian’s base their reasoning on the claim that actions, including lying, are morally acceptable when the resulting consequences maximize benefit or minimize harm. A doctor tells a depressed patient that he has a 50-50 chance of long-term recovery when she is confident he’ll live only six months, or lying to the drunk husband as to the where-abouts of his battered wife. When trying to do the right thing in a difficult situation, perfect honesty may seem second best next to values like compassion, respect, and justice. Yet many philosophical and religious zellots have long claimed that rarely, if ever, is a lie permissible.

Brutal honestly is a term that some people assumed on me earlier in my life. They would claim that I’m a Kantian in belief, however I can’t subscribe to that term without being honest myself. It’s not so much that I’m honest, but I have a lack of compassion for other people’s feelings. I got the ideal by namesake only. In fact, I’m just flat out lazy. It’s easier for me to be honest than it is to lie. “Do I look good in this shirt” my reply: “No, it makes you look fat”.  I’m not maliciously saying this to personally assault the person; I’m just apathetic towards their self worth. “Sugar coating” takes to much time and effort, and I find it too hard to lie in my day to day routine.

Altruistic lies, which specifically intend to benefit someone else, are considered morally acceptable by utilitarian’s. Picture the doctor telling her terminally ill patient that there is a 50 percent probability that he will recover, when in truth all tests confirm he has six months to live. The doctor knows from years of experience that, if told the truth, he may fall deeper into depression or possibly commit suicide. With the hope of recovery, the terminally ill man has a greater chance to cherish his remaining time.

People I believe tend to blur the altruistic lie with being “nice”. Where I would not consider the ramifications of calling someone fat, a person may chose a different set of words to obscure the truth. While not flat out lying, saying “I think you would look better in this shirt” is not being honest.

People often poorly estimate the consequences of their actions or specifically undervalue or ignore the harmful consequences to society that their lies cause. Suggesting that people may lie in pursuit of the greater good can lead to a “slippery slope”. The line between cleverly calculated moral justifications and empty excuses for selfish behavior becomes exceedingly thin. Sliding down the slope eventually kindles morally bankrupt statements. It is for that reason that even an honorable person can’t properly weigh consequences of actions/lies, for the consequences are often too unpredictable(Robin Hood is the ultimate utilitarian, stealing from the rich to give to the poor). I would argue to the true utilitarian that there is a greater cost in tolerating lies for vague or subjective virtues, including lies in honor of “the greater good.”

I’m not claiming that my virtues prevent me from lying. I’m in fact claiming that my virtues are severely flawed. I lack compassion; the same compassion that compels utilitarian’s to justify withholding honesty. Brutal honesty is just my laziness, I’m just a lazy utilitarian.

- D

Tags: lying, utilitarian, virtues