Abstract
Kant and Sidgwick are at opposite extremes on whether we may tell paternalistic lies. I trace the extremism to their views about ethical concepts. Sidgwick thinks fundamental ethical concepts must be precise. Common Sense morality says we may tell paternalistic lies to children but not to sane adults. Because the distinction between a child and an adult is imprecise, Sidgwick thinks this principle cannot be fundamental, and must be based on the (precise) principle of utility, which often mandates paternalistic lies to adults. Kant thinks that ethical concepts are ideals of reason, which do not fit the world precisely because the world is imperfect. We lie to children and the insane because they are irrational, but no one is perfectly rational. We must treat all persons with the respect due to rational agents, so the pressure of the theory is toward not lying to anyone. Decisions about where to draw the line must be made pragmatically and to some extent arbitrary. But fear of this is not a good reason to abandon ethical ideals for utilitarianism.
Similar content being viewed by others
Bibliography
Kant, Emmanuel.: C1 (1781/1787), Critique of Pure Reason. The first pair of page numbers refer to the first (A) and second (B) editions; the second to the translation by Norman Kemp Smith (1965). Macmillan, St. Martin's Press, New York.
—.: G (1975) Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, The first page number is that of the Prussian Academy Edition Volume IV: the second is that of the translation by Lewis White Beck (1959). Bobbs-Merrill Library of Liberal Arts, Indianapolis.
—.: C2 (1788) Critique of Practical Reason. Prussian Academy Volume V; translated by Lewis White Beck (1956). Bobbs-Merrill Library of Liberal Arts, Indianapolis.
—.: PP (1795) Perpetual Peace. Prussian Academy Volume VIII; translated by Lewis White Beck in On History, edited by Lewis White Beck (1963). Bobbs-Merrill Library of Liberal Arts, Indianapolis.
—.: MPV (1797) The Metaphysical Principles of Virtue. Prussian Academy Volume VI; translated by James Ellington in Immanuel Kant: Ethical Philosophy (1953). Hackett Publishing Company, Indianapolis.
—.: AEJ (1797) The Metaphysical Elements of Justice. Prussian Academy Edition Volume VI; translated (in part) by John Ladd (1965). Bonbbs-Merrill Library of Liberal Arts, Indianapolis.
—.: A (1798), Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View. Prussian Academy Edition Volume VII; translation by Mary Gregor (1974). Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague.
Sidgwick, Henry.: ME (1907), The Methods of Ethics, 7th edition. Hackett Publishing Company, Indianapolis, 1981
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Korsgaard, C.M. Two arguments against lying. Argumentation 2, 27–49 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00179139
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00179139