Question

According to Kantian moral theory, is it permissible to lie to someone as long as the lie benefits the person lied to? For instance, would a doctor be permitted to lie to her patient if she was certain the lie would benefit the patient in some way?

a) Yes. The consequence of the action is the most important element, so if the patient benefited from a lie, then the ultimate outcome was good and it was right to lie.

b) No. Kant believed that lying violated a person's autonomy and was therefore always wrong.

c) Kant argued that while lying was manipulative, it was not inherently right or wrong.

d) Kant believed that lying was situational and could be either right or wrong, depending on the outcome.

Answer 1

Yes, According to Kantian moral Theory it is permissible to lie to someone for his / her benefits. Kantian Moral Theory is an example of Dentological Moral Theory. According to theses theories the rightness or wrongness of actions does not depends on their consequenses but on whether they fulfill our duty.

Kant believed that there was a supreme principle of morality and he referred to it as the categorical Imperative. The Categorical Imperative determines what our moral duties are.

According to Kant a good person is someone who always does their duty because it is their duty. It is fine if they enjoy doing it, but it must be the case that they would do it even if they did not enjoy it. The overall theme is that to be a good person you must be good for goodness sake.

Yes, A doctor would be permitted to lie to her patient if she was certain the lie would benefit the patient in some way. Kant believed that lying was situational and could be either right or wrong, depending on the outcome.