As time passes, ethics are modified from one generation to another in order to satisfy modern needs. In spite of these variations, lying is always looked down upon in a moral sense as an awful sin. In accordance with accepted standards of conduct, humans are obligated not to lie nevertheless of the circumstances they are faced with. Philosopher Immanuel Kant highly approves of this conduct, in fact, he emphasizes that humans are to follow maxims and act upon their duties, thus should always refrain from lying. Kant fails to consider the benefit of deception to breed hope, preserve feelings, or advance ourselves when not used at the expense of others. He views lying as not meeting our moral duties and acting against our beliefs, that essentially, lying lessens from one’s worth and dignity. Ultimately, the morality of dishonesty varies based on the circumstances and the impact of the lie, thus, at times, lyng becomes an essential act to be carried out, and is therefore not always considered a bad deed.
Immanuel Kant is an exceptional philosopher well known for his high morals and notable standards. He has strong beliefs primarily based on the engaging in selfless acts as it is the most valuable and unconditional form of good. Kant defines good will as acting out of duty, meaning to act in terms of adherence to maxims. Thus, one would act in certain ways because they perceive that it is their duty to do so. Essentially, this leads to his greatest theory, the perception of the categorical imperative, which assembles one’s moral values and prohibits one to act upon immoral actions. He explains that if something cannot be normalized in our universe, then it is contrary to reason and could therefore result in delinquent outcomes. As a matter of fact, he strongly supports his philosophy to such a degree that he proclaims that “it is always wrong to lie—even to a murderer asking for the whereabouts of his victim—and that if one does lie and despite one's good intentions the lie leads to the murderer's capture of the victim, then the liar is partially responsible for the killing of the victim.” 1 Through this claim, Kant’s reasonings are well illustrated as he used the most barbarous circumstance to display the significance of morality despite the consequences. He concludes that suppressing truths, even with good intentions could essentially result in someone’s involvement in atrocious actions, even if they were not physically accountable. Moreover, Kant highlights the significance of people’s rationality in order to display the control people have over their lives, thus being rational enough to choose morally. In addition, an expression of human freedom is demonstrated through one’s capacity to make their own choices without the influence of others. Conclusively, Immanuel Kant’s beliefs underline the importance of always being honest despite the situations because that will result in the most fulfilling life: exercising one’s freedom to the fullest capacity.
The act of lying can breed hope which is necessary for positive change in a person’s life. Kant’s concept of good will exclusively accounts for the morality of the action. However, the ethics of lying should regard the impact and intention of deceit. Optimism in itself can be defined as a lie. Expecting a positive outcome and encouraging others to do so against all logic is an act of deception, however without hope, there would be no capacity for innovation. Telling an addict they can get better even if we do not believe it is valuable because we are labelling them with our words as competent and filling them with faith in themselves. Similarly, if we tell them we do not believe in their recovery, we condemn them before they begin. Even if our words do not cause the addict conscious harm, each person has an innate need to be categorized, and one is defined by the lies they are told as well as what they deceive themselves to believe. In a similar way, society tells children they can pursue anything within the reaches of their imagination, to motivate them to succeed in school and engage in creative activities imperative for cognitive development. Although, statistically, it is highly unlikely that the child will reach their unrealistic objective. In reference, a boy who wants to become an astronaut has a 0.6% 2 chance of being accepted. Teachers and parents are aware of the slim probabilities but incite hope regardless to inspire hard work and dedication. These are circumstances in life that require lying as an objective of motivation to push someone to work hard for something they admire. Kant disagrees with this statement because he believes that “… even if does not harm another man, it hurts humanity in general…,” 3 thus he reasons that it is something beyond individuals, it is a matter of humanity itself which can become affected, even though humans are not harmed by these acts. Kant’s thoughts and philosophy is highly respected, but his vision in regards to deception in order to generate hope for one is not reasoned correctly as logically, small acts of deceptions for the sake of others would nonetheless harm humanity, but in fact help individuals grow stronger as it is a source of encouragement and faith provided. Hence, if used correctly, lying is necessary for improvement and putting someone on the road towards success and countless achievements.
White lies have always been well known for their acute effect in people’s lives, however, they are nonexistent in Immanuel Kant’s philosophy. He by quote states “but a lie is a lie, and in itself intrinsically evil, whether it be told with good or bad intents.” 4 This affirmation explains his perspective on white lies and disregard for intent. However, Kant’s phenomena that emphasizes acting out of duty is ineffective as no universal law can encompass every situation. For instance, a doctor hiding the truth from a wife telling her that her husband passed away peacefully, when in reality he suffered before his death. This lie leads to an avoidance of emotional turmoil, where telling the truth would serve no purpose other than inflicting pain on the patient's family. If morality is defined not by one’s actions but by the impact of their choice, then white lies are necessary to be moral. Thus, while Kant emphasizes the importance of the morals of doing good will and following the categorical imperative, the impact of a lie can yield more benefits than disadvantages. On a daily basis, people are faced with situations where they resort to white lies to avoid hurting someone else. Whether they have to avoid revealing the truth as it is improper timing or if they have to live with this life forever, knowing that it saved a loved one from indescribable amounts of pain, lies become a part of one’s trait as a moral duty rather than a dishonest deed. Generally, these acts are genuinely out of good intentions in consideration for the feelings of others. Ultimately, the intentions behind the lie as well as its impact determine the morality of the choice, conclusively proving that not all lies are equal.
Lying for self improvement in circumstances that do not negatively impact others is a useful tool that Kant fails to consider. The betterment of society is rooted in the advancement of each individual. Maxims, in Kant’s theory of the categorical imperative fail to differentiate not only between situations but between individuals. His categorical imperative is primarily based on applying our moral duties to our everyday lives, thus including withholding of ever telling a lie, despite that reaching a goal for each person requires a different path. If lying can lead to personal growth, it can benefit more than simply the deceiver. It could possibly restore someone’s faith in themselves and ignite them with pride, encouraging them to continue to strive for success. For example, lying about personal aspects in one’s life can lead to a boost in self esteem, thus contradicting Kant's view as we are obligated not to hide the truth, let alone deceive others with incorrect realities. Confidence is imperative to success. This boost in self esteem can be converted into productive energy in tasks that better society such as studying for a diploma or completing work for one’s job. For some, this act of deception may be the only outlet that leads to the necessary confidence to complete said tasks. This aspect is what Kant fails to include in his philosophy, he fails to include the importance of lying under circumstances that are faced differently by individuals in our world, even if it is unharmful to their surroundings, presuming to always nevertheless tell the truth. Ultimately, the act of lying can benefit the individual significantly and allow them to take on an honourable role in society, but not at the expense of others if used correctly.
Philosopher Immanuel Kant’s perspective on lying is absolute and uncompromising. Although it seemingly is morally correct, there are many aspects that he does not consider in his philosophy, thus setting a high standard for society that does not compromise with everyone’s circumstances. He does not recognize the value of deception and the benefit it yields for both individuals and society as a whole. Lying is beneficial and necessary when used as a tool to inspire hope, shield one from psychological trauma, or improve oneself. It protects others from harmful truths and provides one with self confidence that may later have great impact in one’s life. Conclusively, lying when limited to circumstances that do not cause harm to others or oneself can be defined as not only moral, but an act of complete utilization of one’s personal freedom.