A Lie Never Justifiable: A Study in Ethics

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Trumbull, H. Clay (Henry Clay), 1830-1903.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"A Lie Never Justifiable: A Study in Ethics" by H. Clay Trumbull is a philosophical work written in the late 19th century. This study delves into the ethical implications of lying, posing the central question of whether any circumstance could ever justify a lie. Trumbull draws on personal experiences, historical perspectives, and religious teachings to assert that lying is fundamentally contrary to divine principles and morality. The opening of the text introduces Trumbull's personal journey that activates his inquiry into the nature of truth and lies. He recounts being a prisoner of war, where the dilemma of potentially lying to escape became a profound ethical conflict. Throughout his narrative, he reflects on discussions with fellow officers, analyzing arguments about the so-called "lie of necessity" in war. Through these reflections, he firmly concludes that regardless of situational pressures, lying is inherently wrong, thus establishing a strong moral stance that informs the rest of the book's discourse on ethics. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

E-text prepared by Dave Maddock, Josephine Paolucci, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

Notes:

Reading ease score: 64.1 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.

Release date is 2004-01-01