Suppose S1 is dealing drugs and S2 approaches S1 to purchase illegal drugs from S1. Suppose that S1 asks S2 whether S2 is a police officer and S2 denies being a police officer. Would it be unethical for S2 (although being a police officer) to lie and deny being a cop?
2006-10-26 09:34:48 · 8 answers · asked by sokrates 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Subterfuge is a legitimate method to catch those who act clandestinely to break the law. If S1 does not provide drugs no harm is done.
2006-10-26 09:45:44 · answer #1 · answered by Sophist 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cops can lie in the course of getting the job done - they can mislead murder suspects into a confession, mislead drug dealers, all is considered to be for the greater good.
Is this ethical? Certainly - criminal behavior is both illegal and unethical, so public need trumps.
2006-10-26 09:53:16 · answer #2 · answered by Jim P 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Police engage in double dealing all the time so in that context your answer is moot!
In Legal Theory there is however what is call, since Roman time, a Dolus Bonus as opposed to a Dolus Malus.
A dolus malus is a deceit intended to obtain personal profit by fraud.
A dolus Malus is a justifiable deception. The example in Blacks Law Dictionary give the idea of deceiving a lunatic so as to prevent him from causing harm to himself or others!
2006-10-26 10:11:50 · answer #3 · answered by namazanyc 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ah... in a "perfect" world, no one would lie to anyone because TRUTH is all there is and lies contaminate all our lives. Having said that, cops, attorneys, parents, politicians and way too many others thrive on lying. To answer your question, I do not believe lying is ever ethical, but do we live in an ethical society...I am authentic and speak the truth and often get judged, laughed at, rejected, demeaned. Much of this society can't handle the truth!
2006-10-26 09:48:11 · answer #4 · answered by ontheroadagainwithoutyou 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Even a deontic ethicist would allow that it's no violation of the categorical imperitive to lie to a criminal in this manner.
You think pretending to be a civilian while on duty is any less of a lie?
2006-10-26 10:18:12 · answer #5 · answered by -.- 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ethics and police work don't mix.
It is legal for a police officer to lie to an individual they are treating as a suspect, and is not considered entrapment or fraud.
2006-10-26 09:42:35 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hell no it wouldnt be unethical-
They're busting the BAD GUY. Duh- its called a sting!!!!!
Besides that if he were in like any other kind of situation it would depend on weather or not that lie is for his personall saftey around a suspect.
2006-10-26 14:09:48 · answer #7 · answered by Mindy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES IT IS ETHICAL. THEY ARE GETTING SCUMMY DRUG DEALERS & GANGSTERS OFF THE STREETS AND AWAY FROM OUR CHILDREN!!!!
2006-10-26 09:42:09 · answer #8 · answered by LOVE MY LIFE 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋