Lying is a common occurrence for most people, whether the lies are large or small. The immediate thought of someone telling a lie disgusts the majority of people. Nevertheless, lying has numerous synonyms that can change people’s opinions regarding whether or not a lie is acceptable. The Merriam Webster Thesaurus provides the following synonyms for the word “lie:” fable, fairy tale, perjury, fib, story, tale, exaggeration, falsification, bluff, or ambiguity, along with numerous other words. However, several of these words are often deemed acceptable to tell when it comes to real life. The connotation of these words changes the intent of the “lie” and makes some examples of “lying” appropriate and ethical, while others are unethical and sometimes illegal. This raises several questions regarding the intentions of telling a lie: When is it okay to tell a lie? Or, is it ever okay to tell a lie?
Kant’s Categorical Imperative
According to philosopher Immanuel Kant, no lie should ever be told. Kant’s Categorical Imperative is a concept that he declared is a structure that is built in everyone’s mind (Vredenburgh, 2016). One of the main concepts of the Categorical Imperative is the commanding principle of reason. The commanding principle of reason says that …show more content…
In the beginning of the writing, Pablo Ibbieta says that he did not hide Ramon Gris in his home in an effort to prevent his own death (Sartre, 1939). After Ibbieta is sentenced to death anyways, the majority of the story is spent portraying his experience about waiting for death. He is asked in the middle of the story if he knows where Gris is hiding now, and he lies by saying he thought he was in Madrid. In reality, Ibbieta knew Gris was hiding outside just outside of the city where the jail cell was located with his cousins (Sartre, 1939). This scene shows that Ibbieta demonstrates his duty to save his former friend’s
Kant’s Categorical Imperative
According to philosopher Immanuel Kant, no lie should ever be told. Kant’s Categorical Imperative is a concept that he declared is a structure that is built in everyone’s mind (Vredenburgh, 2016). One of the main concepts of the Categorical Imperative is the commanding principle of reason. The commanding principle of reason says that …show more content…
In the beginning of the writing, Pablo Ibbieta says that he did not hide Ramon Gris in his home in an effort to prevent his own death (Sartre, 1939). After Ibbieta is sentenced to death anyways, the majority of the story is spent portraying his experience about waiting for death. He is asked in the middle of the story if he knows where Gris is hiding now, and he lies by saying he thought he was in Madrid. In reality, Ibbieta knew Gris was hiding outside just outside of the city where the jail cell was located with his cousins (Sartre, 1939). This scene shows that Ibbieta demonstrates his duty to save his former friend’s