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Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved
76
CHAPTER 12 – LYING, CHEATING, BREAKING PROMISES, AND STEALING
General Overview
The issues that make up the content of this chapter constitute the basic fabric of everyday moral
life cutting across our public and private lives. All of us will have experience with at least one of
these topics.
Class Suggestions
Get to class early and carefully place several $20 bills at discreet but clearly noticeable locations
(that you can keep track of!). If they haven’t been handed in at the beginning of class, announce
that later you will give the results of a moral experiment that you have performed with the students.
When you come to ask for your money back you should also raise questions about the morality of
the experiment. Another less risky but equally provocative example is to ask students whether they
have downloaded music from the Internet (or taped a copy of a CD from a friend). Almost every
18 to 19 old has. Get them to try to justify this and a number of the basic views on these topics will
present themselves (everyone does it, it’s all right if you don’t get caught, you’d be a naïve loser if
you didn’t take advantage, etc.) and you can start to get these reasons onto the board as a basis for
further exploration. Again use the cases and encourage students to offer up some of the relevant
situations that they’ve found themselves in.
Chapter Summary
Many of the issues dealt with here apply to the preceding chapter and the next three chapters.
Nonconsequentalist and Consequentialist Views
Role Nonconsequentialist Views
Opposed to the four acts: Kant, for example, the acts cannot be universalized.
Consequentialist and Act Nonconsequentialist Views
Act Nonconsequentialism:
If one feels like lying or cheating then its okay.
Consequentialism:
The four acts may or may not be justifiable depending upon the perceived consequences.
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved
77
Lying
Arguments Against Lying
1. Dupes and deprives others
2. Causes distrust in human relationships
3. The Domino argument
4. Unfair advantage or power for liars
5. Self-destructiveness of lying
6. Effect of lying on society
Arguments for Lying
1. Defense of the innocent, including self-defense
2. National security
3. Trade secrets in business
4. “Little white lies”
Moderate Position
1. Lying only acceptable to save life or as last resort.
2. How you tell the truth – different ways of telling truth.
Cheating
Arguments Against Cheating
1. Unfair and unjust to others
2. Falsified qualifications
3. Effects on the cheater
Arguments for Cheating
1. Surviving and winning
2. Everybody does it
3. As long as you don’t get caught
Breaking Promises
Implies Certain Agreements
1. Breaking promises is a form of dishonesty
2. A person’s word as an indication of person’s integrity and reputation
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved
78
Arguments Against Breaking Promises
1. Destruction of personal relationships
2. Domino theory
3. Effects on people’s life choices
4. Destruction of general social trust
5. Loss of personal integrity
Arguments for Breaking Promises
1. Changed circumstances
2. When there are moral conflicts
3. When it’s a trivial issue
4. Where unusual situations justify it
5. No promise is sacred
Stealing
Arguments Against Stealing
1. Property rights
2. Breakdown of trust
3. Invasion of privacy
4. Domino argument
5. Material losses to victim
6. Effect on thief
7. Overall effect on society
Arguments for Stealing
1. Corrupt economic system
2. Crucial emergency situation
3. Thrills and adventure
4. From institutions and organizations
5. As long as you don’t get caught
6. Military and government secrets
KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS
Lying
White lies
Acts and Omissions
Cheating
Promises
Stealing
Fairness
Rights
Consequentialism
Nonconsequentialism
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved
79
ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Is lying ever morally justifiable? What about “white lies”? Use examples to illustrate your
answer.
2. “If you don’t cheat to get ahead you’ll be a loser.” Discuss the morality of this statement. On
what grounds is it justifiable or not?
3. According to what principles and in what situations might it be acceptable to break a promise?
4. Is stealing morally acceptable in some situations? Critically examine the arguments for and
against stealing.
5. Compare and contrast the consequentialist and nonconsequentialist positions on some of
these issues. Which position is the best overall and why?
TRUE/FALSE
1. Lies of commission involve leaving out vital information.
2. Kant would argue that we cannot universalize stealing, cheating, lying, and breaking promises.
3. Shakespeare’s character Iago in Othello is a wonderful example of honesty and truthfulness.
4. “Cheating is okay so long as you don’t get caught” could work on a nonconsequentialist view.
5. Cheats always prosper.
6. Kant would say that breaking a promise is never justified.
7. Stealing is acceptable on some consequentialist arguments.
8. When asked by a prison chaplain why he stole from banks the great Willie Sutton replied:
“cause that’s where the money is.”
9. “Everything I say is a lie” – “including what I’ve just said and including this sentence.”
10. Honesty is the best policy.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
11. What philosopher believed that lying and cheating were always wrong?
a) John Stuart Mill
b) Jeremy Bentham
c) Augustine
d) The guy who sits next to you in class
12. A major argument against lying is that
a) it gives unfair advantage to women.
b) it misinforms the people lied to.
c) it doesn’t help anyone.
d) men lose self-esteem.
13. “I know lying is bad but I just felt like it.” Who might say such a thing?
a) Consequentialists
b) Hippies
c) Act utilitarians
d) Act nonconsequentialists
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved
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14. A major argument in favor of lying is
a) that companies would go out of business.
b) that politicians would lose all credibility.
c) the defense of the innocent.
d) relationships would collapse.
15. Who said that the important question is not whether I tell the truth but how I should tell the truth?
a) Woody Allen
b) Elizabeth Kübler Ross
c) Your instructor
d) Immanuel Kant
16. Breaking a promise is acceptable to me on those occasions when I stand to benefit. This is
a(n) __________ argument.
a) Deontological
b) Utilitarian
c) Retributivist
d) Egoistic
17. People ought to cheat because the world is “dog eat dog.” This is an example of
a) deriving an ought from an is.
b) moral honesty and truthfulness.
c) male pseudo logic.
d) what the world is like.
18. Who justified stealing on the basis that it was exciting?
a) Willie Sutton
b) The Penguin
c) John Stuart Mill
d) Enron
19. The moderate position on lying entails
a) telling lies as much as you can get away with.
b) never telling even a “little white one.”
c) trying to tell the truth as much as possible.
d) telling the truth when it suits.
20. What would the Domino argument say about the four issues studied in this chapter?
a) They are all justifiable in certain situations.
b) They are likely to lead to more of the same.
c) They are all likely to lead to a happier society.
d) They are all unjustifiable.
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved
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Answers Key to Chapter 12 Test Questions
True or False:
Multiple Choice:
