Is Lying Justifiable in Medical Ethics and Augustinian Ethics?

© 2013-present by Jensen DG. Mañebog

I’m not going to swear an oath I can’t uphold … When enough people make false promises, words stop meaning anything. Then there are no more answers, only better and better lies.”

– Jon Snow, Game of Thrones, Season 7, Episode 7

Lying is perhaps one of the most common wrong acts that people carry out. Some even claim that lying is an unavoidable part of human nature. Indeed, it is worth spending time discussing about it especially in ethics.

Both medical ethics and the Augustinian ethics have something to say about lying. But being so rich as an ethical theory, Augustinian moral philosophy is applicable to so many other ethical issues.

1. Lying

Lying is a form of deception, though not all forms of deception are lies. Lying is providing some information while believing it to be untrue, intending to deceive or mislead by doing so.

1.1. Three necessary features of lying

Most ethicists believe that a lie has three necessary features:

(a) a lie communicates some information;

(b) the liar intends to deceive or mislead;

(c) the liar believes that what he/she is communicating is not true.

Some stipulate that a lie does not have to give false information. It is claimed that what makes a lie a lie is that the liar aims to deceive, or at least to mislead, the person he/she is lying to. Thus, it does not essentially matter whether the information given is true or false. This is exemplified by cases where a person inadvertently gives true information while believing that he/she is telling a lie.

For instance, Paola wants the last piece of apple for herself, so she lies to her sister Senna that there is a worm in it. When Paola later eats that piece of apple, she discovers that there really is a worm in it.

Moreover, the effect of a given lie does not nullify its being a lie. This is illustrated by the case in which nobody is deceived by a constant liar because people know that he/she always tells lies.

For something to be considered a lie, it does not have to be told with a malicious intention. Take note that white lies are still lies, yet, they are usually told with a good intention.

1.2. White lie and ‘living a lie’

Awhite lie is a lie that is not aimed to harm the people being lied to, in fact, it is usually intended to benefit them by making them feel good, or preventing their feelings from being hurt.

For instance, Dada goes to a dinner party and her hostess asks how she likes the dish she (the hostess) has prepared. The true answer happens to be, “I think it tastes horrible,” but that would hurt the hostess’s feeling. Now, if Dada says, “It’s delicious,” that is tactful, but is certainly a white lie.

Most people would approve of that white lie for it causes no harm to anyone. (Nonetheless, some argue that this lie does do some harm, for the hostess may feel encouraged to make that dish again, and so future guests will have to suffer from it.)

Some state that lying requires a statement of some sort, that is, that the liar must really speak or write or gesture. However, others stretch lie’s definition to include doing nothing in response to a question, knowing that this will deceive the questioner. Some also include the so-called ‘living a lie,’ that is, behaving in a way that misleads people as to one’s true nature.

2. Medical Ethics

Medical ethics refers to a system of ethical principles that apply values and judgments to the practice of clinical medicine and in scientific research. Ideally, medical ethics allow for people, regardless of race, gender, or religion, to be guaranteed quality and principled care (“Lying and Truth-Telling.” bbc.co.uk). This applies even to the nonliving, such as medical researches on cadavers.

Medical ethics is anchored on a set of values that professionals can refer to in the case of any confusion or conflict. These values include the following;

(a) respect for autonomy,

(b) non-maleficence,

(c) beneficence, and

(4) justice.

These four tenets should be treated to be of equal worth.

Simply put, respect for autonomy is acknowledging that patients can make decisions and giving them the information they need to make sensible and informed choices. Non-maleficence is doing no harm or doing the minimum harm possible to the patient. Beneficence is balancing the risks, costs, and benefits of medical actions so as to bring about the best result for the patient.

Justice may refer to using limited medical resources fairly, legally, and in accordance with human rights principles.

Our discussion of medical ethics here is limited to its relation to lying and truth-telling. But before tackling lying in relation to medical ethics, let us consult first a philosopher’s view on the issue.

3. Augustinian Ethics

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (354-430) is one of the most eminent Western Doctors of the Church and the first major Christian ethical philosopher. (To know more about Augustine and his moral philosophy, read Augustine of Hippo: Greatest Medieval Philosopher)

3.1. Augustine on lying

On lying, Augustine suggests that a person lies in uttering a statement if and only if:

(1) the statement is false;

(2) he believes that the statement is false; and

(3) he says the statement with the intention of deceiving someone.

Augustine explains that every liar says the opposite of what he thinks in his heart, with purpose to deceive.

Against lying, Augustine argues that God gave human beings speech so that they could make their thoughts known to each other; therefore, using speech to deceive people is a sin, because it is using speech to do the opposite of what God intended. Intentionalist as he is, he holds that the true sin of lying is contained in the desire to deceive

Although teaching that lying is always wrong, Augustine admits that this would be very difficult to live up to. Augustine believes that some lies could be pardoned, and that there were in fact occasions when lying would be the right thing to do.

He categorized lies into eight (8) classes, depending on how hard it is to pardon them. Here is his list, with the least forgivable lies at the top (“Lying and Truth-Telling,” n.d.):

1. Lies told in teaching religion

2. Lies which hurt someone and help nobody

3. Lies which hurt someone but benefit someone else

4. Lies told for the pleasure of deceiving someone

5. Lies told to please others in conversation

6. Lies which hurt nobody and benefit someone

7. Lies which hurt nobody and benefit someone by keeping open the possibility of their repentance

8. Lies which hurt nobody and protect a person from physical ‘defilement’ … continue reading

Fun Quiz Game: Ethics Game

© 2013-present by Jensen DG. Mañebog

Also Check Out: From Socrates to Mill: An Analysis of Prominent Ethical Theories, also by author Jensen DG. Mañebog

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