Philosophy Now Forum

Lying or breaking a promise?

I think breaking a promise is worse

PhilX

They're not too different. The promise turned into a lie due to non-performance.

It's entirely dependent on context. If a lady asks me if she looks ugly, and I lie and say, "no," trying to spare her feelings, I don't even consider that to be unethical behavior. If I break a promise to give someone back their gun, while they are severely depressed and suicidal, I also consider breaking that promise to be a sign of moral behavior, not immoral behavior. Without context, the question cannot be answered.

Science Fan wrote: ↑Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:06 am It's entirely dependent on context. If a lady asks me if she looks ugly, and I lie and say, "no," trying to spare her feelings, I don't even consider that to be unethical behavior. If I break a promise to give someone back their gun, while they are severely depressed and suicidal, I also consider breaking that promise to be a sign of moral behavior, not immoral behavior. Without context, the question cannot be answered.

So your answer is, it depends.

PhilX

Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:15 am

Science Fan wrote: ↑Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:06 am It's entirely dependent on context. If a lady asks me if she looks ugly, and I lie and say, "no," trying to spare her feelings, I don't even consider that to be unethical behavior. If I break a promise to give someone back their gun, while they are severely depressed and suicidal, I also consider breaking that promise to be a sign of moral behavior, not immoral behavior. Without context, the question cannot be answered.

So your answer is, it depends.

PhilX

It depends on the situation demonstrating that all ethics is situational.

Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sun Feb 18, 2018 12:51 am Lying or breaking a promise?

I think breaking a promise is worse

PhilX

ageed. just be mindful of making that promise prior to making it (it might require a cost).

turthfullness of its own sake is overrated.

i know. i once spoke the truth when it hurt the other, when the moral thing to do would have been to lie (the cost for the lie would have served the other party, and me being truthful out of principle at that time was self serving (ya me for being all truth and not lying!).

per my instance i served my own pride in being truthful and not mindful of the other party.

the moral thing to do would have been to speak a lie for her sake.

she is long dead now and i have had to live with my "principles" these last 30 yrs.

I'm older and wiser now.

Lying means evading the truth.
Breaking a promise means not keeping a promise made.
The context in both - 'lying' and 'breaking a promise', should be the deciding factor, trust me.
However, the two should not be compared for there is no reason why they should be compared because both sit in their own domain and equally strong and have no ground for comparison, and that being the case, this should not be a consideration - Which do you think is worse? Reason being that it would be irrational and illogical to consider something like that.
Now, I may have offended the opening post writer by saying this, but then did you not want me to be truthful here? Would you rather that I be diplomatic?
I also wanted to say that this does not mean that we not voice our views, of course we do, a certain response to some query does not mean that the query cannot be posted, for we are all free to voice our views and ideas and so on and must do that.