Morality

Today, our society always debates on the ethics of lying.But whether it is morally wrong or not.It is a controversial topic. I am going to discuss this topic because almost everyone will lie to somebody. It is closely related to our life.

Lying is to make a false statement with the intention to deceive(OED 1989).The motivation of lying can be good or bad.People lie for different reasons.Every liar says the opposite of what he thinks in his heart, with the purpose to deceive.(St Augustine, The Enchiridion )Some people lie in order to avoid trouble or hurting others while some of them lie in order to avoid punishment.The stakeholders are the liar and the victim of the lie.The liar is someone who tells the lie.They will probably gain benefit from lying since they hide the truth for a different purpose.As for the victim, they are someone that has suffered. They will probably be harmed by lying since they are informed some misleading information.

Different moral theories approach lying in different ways.Before judging whether lying is morally wrong or not, I will consider the motivation and the reasons why people lie.I will not conclude lying is morally wrong.However, different moral theories have their own criterion to judge whether lying is morally wrong or not.

Utilitarian aim to maximize happiness for all people concerned.It points out the importance of taking care of most people’s interest.It judges whether a behavior is morally wrong or not though calculating pleasure and subtract the pain(Bentham).A utilitarian will judge whether lying is morally right or wrong.It depends on whether the lie maximizes most happiness for different stakeholders.They determine whether lying is morally right or wrong by referring to the outcome.If lying can bring a result that maximizes happiness to most of the people , it is morally right.Otherwise, it will be morally wrong.There is no absolutely morally right or wrong on lying for utilitarianism.it depends on its consequence.

As for Kant, lying is always morally wrong.Kant thought that a good act must be the result of a good intention.We need to consider praiseworthy motivation and put others own interest before your own. For example, free your country and