Everyone has lied to someone at least once in their life. As a rule, a lie is understood as the intentional misleading of the interlocutor or, in other words, deliberately erroneous information. It will not be wrong to say that lies have accompanied humanity throughout history. The ability to lie is a fundamental characteristic of human communication systems (Dor 45). When communicating, animals usually report truthful information about themselves: they show fear, anger, or humility (Dor 45). During the conversation, people typically provide information about the world around them, which means they can lie. From an evolutionary point of view, this ability is a complex thought process that spurs fast brain function and develops fantasy (Dor 46). It makes a person think, predict, memorize, analyze information, and choose thoughtful ways out of the situation.
Most moral systems define lying as immoral behavior. However, the circumstances almost always determine the correctness of an act. Something that is a good deed in one situation may be wrong in another. There are many different reasons why people tell lies. This usually happens when a person needs to hide some information for some reason. Probably no one will argue that hiding information in some cases is not wrong. For greater persuasiveness of this statement, several simple examples can be given.
Some specific information can make a person vulnerable or endangered. People may be reluctant to divulge specific data, as this represents immediate harm to them. In particular, when the person who wants to know the information has bad intentions. Failure to provide information in principle will also entail adverse consequences. The only correct solution, in this case, would be to lie. Hardly anyone thinks that telling a lie to someone who wishes you harm is wrong.
Cases where lies are intended to benefit the one being misled belong to another category. As a rule, people call this a “lie for good.” Such deception is appropriate in cases where knowledge of the truth can bring a person more harm than good. Would it be morally correct to tell the truth about his condition to a dying child? In some situations, it is wrong to say to a person something that will make him worry but which he still cannot influence. In some cases, accurate information may not be helpful, but it can bring significant problems or suffering. In such situations, lying can be compared to anesthesia for surgical operations.
All in all, sometimes lies are mixed with elementary politeness. For example, the question “how are you?” often does not mean a person’s desire to be immersed in all the problems of the interlocutor. As a rule, such a question is part of standard etiquette. Expressing your honest opinion about the appearance or tastes of another person will be perceived as rude, especially if the person did not ask for a comment. This means it is only suitable to tell the truth when asked to.
All things considered, it becomes evident that lying is not deliberately wrong behavior. As with any other moral choice, careful consideration of all circumstances is required to make the right decision. Disinformation should not be stigmatized in all its manifestations. Lying is just a tool that is not “bad” or “good” by definition. The way and purpose of using this tool play a decisive role.
Work Cited
Dor, Daniel. “The role of the lie in the evolution of human language.” Language Sciences 63 (2017): 44-59.