2006-09-17 13:16:20 · 13 answers · asked by Epitome 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
You're not saying something untruthful. You're just leaving out details. This question is HARD!
2006-09-17 13:21:03 · update #1
No, lying is deliberately making a statement that is false. An omission is a nonentity. There are thousands, possibly millions of things we don't say: are they all lies?
2006-09-17 13:27:43 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
It sound like you feel it is. You called it Lying by Omitting. My philosophy is, if you are omitting info, like I broke a glass that cost us $.50 cents today, if you cleaned it all up and it was so cheap, then why worry about the omission, but if you are omitting something like, I slept with my best friend boyfriend, than yes, this is lying.
2006-09-17 20:25:48 · answer #2 · answered by Cammi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it depends on whether the person who asked the question has a right to know the truth.
For example, if I ask my doctor, "Am I dying of pancreatic cancer?" And he says "No, you're not." but he knows that I AM dying of LIVER cancer, then that's an inexcusable lie of ommission, because I have the right to know that information.
On the other hand, if someone asks me, "Did you sleep with that girl you met in Hawaii?" and I say, "No, I didn't," when the truth is, "I didn't sleep with her, but I did have sex with her," That's not really a lie of ommission, because the information is nobody's business but mine.
So a lie of ommission is only a lie if there is some obligation to tell the truth. If there is no such obligation, then if someone doesn't ask the right questions, it's nobody's fault but their own.
2006-09-17 20:40:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not really a hard question.
Purposely omitting certain details when being questioned is attempting to mislead the person that is asking the question.
That is by any other definition lying.
2006-09-17 20:32:29 · answer #4 · answered by drg5609 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hi..
Honesty is the best policy...look.. all of us have skeletons in our closets,and none of us are perfect...so why try being something you're not...better to be respected for who you are than hated for what you're not..
>>>>>
Lies of omission, are still technically lies and will come back to bite you in the ***;) ....And not in a good way ;D
>>>>
I also believe : that there are things that are not harmful in every ones past... that would do nothing but cause trouble if they are brought to light at the wrong time.... These things need to be discussed at some point of course, but I believe in some privacy also....
>>>>>>
Thanks, for the question!;)
My regards!
2006-09-17 20:36:31 · answer #5 · answered by Kimberly 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It depends on the consequences. If you omit to tell your good friend her mascara is running just before she is due to attend an important interview then you are gilty of criminal negligence.
If on the other hand you omit to tell her of a nasty gossip concerning her person then you are not really lying you are protecting her mental wellbeing.
2006-09-17 20:37:11 · answer #6 · answered by flugelberry 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't understand "lying by omitting". If you don't say something that is untrue, how can you lie?
Biblically, theologically, and religiously, there are "sins of omission", but legally, unless you say or admit to something that can be proven a "lie", you are not lying.
2006-09-17 20:34:39 · answer #7 · answered by Baby Poots 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes I would say it is. You know that the answer you are giving is constructed to hide the truth, therefore it's a lie. I think there can be good reasons for lying by omission but really who are we to judge what should be withheld to spare someone else's feelings?
2006-09-17 20:19:36 · answer #8 · answered by Behhar B 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
It's lying by deceit... by not telling the whole truth. Leaving out details intentionally is not telling the truth, it is deceitful... it is the same as lying. Don't play with words and don't play games. If someone used that ploy with you, you'd be upset and angry, wouldn't you?
I did that once because I wanted to protect a woman's honor. Her husband asked me, "Did you sleep with my wife?" And I replied, "Hell, no! Not a single wink!"
2006-09-17 20:26:02 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
A lie is a lie. By telling the truth after the lie is too late in my opinion. No turning back time will undo what has been said!
2006-09-17 20:24:38 · answer #10 · answered by Lily 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes, but only to the person you are "lying" to. That person will definitely care about whatever it is you chose to hide from them. On the other hand, it's not lying if the other person shouldn't be in your business anyway.
2006-09-17 20:33:30 · answer #11 · answered by kharmaangel328 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋