What are three good moral reasons not to tell on a friend if they did something wrong?
2006-11-23 00:47:05 · 10 answers · asked by whoknows 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
It sounds to me like you're looking for rationalisations to make yourself feel better about doing something you feel is wrong. Philosophy won't help you to do that. You ought to do what you feel is right. By the way, if you are interested in learning about philosophy, I can heartily recomment the book "Sophie's World" by Jostein Gaarder as a good introduction to the subject, and a way to get your head around what it's all about.
2006-11-23 02:57:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Fck.. three?
1) The basis of law comes from our concern with family and friend. To violate that trust for the sake of the rule is to miss the point.
2) You will suffer for it. No one likes a rat in their circle of friends.
3) Everyone suffers for it. You lose a friend, your friend gets punished, you existentially endorse the rule (some Kantian imperitive) and others follow suit-- hopefully judging your compliance as reprehensible. In which case, the rule might be challenged later.. but that's a terrible reason to do something wrong.
2006-11-23 20:52:47 · answer #2 · answered by -.- 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If in doing so, you don't avoid pain, or cause more pleasure from not telling than telling (Utilitarianism)
If by telling on the friend, you are using such as an ends to a means
If you would not want the same thing to happen to you if you were in that situation, and if you believe, that if everyone did the same thing as you in that position, that the world would become a better place.
2006-11-23 09:44:09 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. If not telling means that you would be avoiding bringing further harm on to your friend or someone else
2. If not telling means that your friendship will not be affected negatively, after all, a real friend is a very valuable thing
3. Friendship is NOT about acting as judge and jury with our friends, its about accepting them for who they are, together with their mistakes, so its not your job to act as MORAL POLICE
2006-11-23 10:04:58 · answer #4 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1) You know if you told, your friend's abusive father/mother would kill him/her.
2) You know telling would hurt more people than it would help.
3) Your a priest, a doctor, or a lawyer and can't tell.
2006-11-23 11:09:31 · answer #5 · answered by Voodoid 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I cannot think of three reasons. If your friend did something wrong, you have every right to tell on he/she. Your loyalty to authority comes before loyalty to a friend
2006-11-23 08:52:31 · answer #6 · answered by Greek 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I can only think about one...
Sometimes the best way to learn a lesson is to feel it the hard way. (Your friend will eventually learn for his/herself that they have done something wrong and hopefully change their behaviour)
2006-11-23 10:02:49 · answer #7 · answered by Fried Plantain 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Loyalty, protectiveness and love for the friend. And that said, it really depends on what they did. It they took a bag of potato chips without paying, don't tell; if they killed someone, please do tell on them.
2006-11-23 13:45:33 · answer #8 · answered by a_delphic_oracle 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is not your place to be a rat,friends must be trusted with such knowledge without judging ,and finally who are you to impose your moral coda on anyone but yourself ?
2006-11-23 11:01:42 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Was it criminal or petty in nature? Will it have serious or mild repercussions? Is the person remorseful or ambivalent? Was anyone harmed or can be harmed?
2006-11-23 08:59:16 · answer #10 · answered by J W 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋