What makes lying wrong? Was it a principle developed along evolutionary scales that somehow helps advance the species? if so, what?
2007-10-30 11:19:13 · 21 answers · asked by dbu_44240 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
lying is a construction of society.
2007-10-30 11:28:25 · answer #1 · answered by atheist 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Interesting question. Lying could be helpful to survival by fooling your opponent into believing you are bigger or stronger than you actually are. Some animals, for example, puff themselves up to scare off an attacker. On the other hand, lying can have negative consequences because if you lie and are still challenged, you may die. Given the number of liars remaining in the world I suspect it is a "survival of the fittest" liar.
The morality of lying is part of the community ethic. If you lie to others, you risk being ostracized from the community and thus have to fend for yourself. While that seems feasible these days, it was a lot harder back then. Or worse the community could just decide to stone you to death.
2007-10-30 18:52:55 · answer #2 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why does religion have the corner on truth? I don't need to read the bible to know what is right or wrong. Respecting another human being with truth and honesty is part of what were are as humans. Lying does nothing to improve society and its interactions.
We sure survived prior to the bibles writing. If it was never written, do you think the human race would have faded away? If so, you have no faith or understanding of humanity and what it means or how we are formed. Surely the bible and religion has a play in many peoples life, but there are countless other factors beyond those..
Does the bible teach a newborn to love their mother or father? No, there is a bond from the start biologically and it is strengthen with compassion, truth and love. The bible is not purely required for those factors.
2007-10-30 18:44:48 · answer #3 · answered by hugh9269 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In my experience, people lie for one of the following reasons:
1) They want to cover up for some irresponsibility on their part("No, I didn't break the lamp.")
2) They can't be honest with themselves about something ("Of course I don't listen to that band! That CD is uh....my sister's.")
3) They have a psychologically compulsive behavior to continuously lie (usually due to low self-esteem)
I don't need an absolute "Commandment" to tell me that these things most often manifest themselves as "bad"! Humans are social animals, and with that comes an unwritten social contract. Being irresponsible, needlessly shameful of things, or self-loathing, are NOT beneficial behaviors.
At the same time, I do not believe that lying is always wrong in all situations and circumstances. If somebody holds a gun to my head and says "Say that your favorite color is pink, or I'll shoot you", I am going to lie and say that my favorite color is pink.
By the way, just because somebody is an atheist does not mean that they have to justify ethics with scientific reasoning. Religion is just ONE place to get dogma. There are plenty of other non-theistic philosophies out there that deal with personal ethics.
2007-10-30 18:23:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
we want to be trusted and accepted just like any other human being.
the truth is people do lie, alot. so how can we argue that telling the truth is an evolutionary development when not everyone does it.
Truth and Lie
Life and Death
Good and Bad
these are human distinctions. there is no intrinsically good thing or bad thing. its the label we give to show our acceptance or denial of another persons idea.
2007-10-30 18:22:40 · answer #5 · answered by AlCapone 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lying is simply more difficult.. Once one lies they have to remember the lie, then tell more lies to cover up the first lie and remember those and so on... It's simply far less work to go with the truth then you don't have all the extra stuff to remember and keep straight...
Yup, I am lazy that's why I don't lie... LOL
2007-10-30 18:28:47 · answer #6 · answered by Diane (PFLAG) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just because atheists don't believe in the God doesn't mean they don't believe in the Good.
Moral philosophy existed centuries before Jesus. Read anyone from Plato to Bertrand Russell to George Moore to see how nonreligious folk justify their moral systems.
2007-10-30 18:31:58 · answer #7 · answered by Ranto 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
if you live your life as an Atheist it is already difficult to count! If I would start to become a liar and ppl find out , everything that I believe in is gone!
trust is the first step of any relationship ,even if it just an animal!
2007-10-30 18:25:42 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You'll find most religious values are based on the secular values of human society.
Religion is just for those who need a supernatural threat or reward as motivation to follow society's rules.
2007-10-30 18:25:04 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
You should not lie for an Atheist. Nor should you lie or support a lie about your Religion or your Supernatural Imaginary God either.
2007-10-30 18:25:10 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
many dont believe it is morally wrong.
especially depending on the circumstance.
however, there are socially beneficial effects of not lying. one would be people more likely to believe and listen to you. people would be more inclined to trust you over a known liar, as well as trust you in the future.
i dont necessarily view all lying as morally wrong. i view telling the truth as beneficial.
2007-10-30 18:24:33 · answer #11 · answered by Chippy v1.0.0.3b 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋