Im arguing this topic in a debate tournament soon. The topic that my team is arguing is "Honesty is the best policy" So I figured it would be interesting to see what you all think about it. I would like it if everyone doesn't get too spammy and stays on topic. Thanks.
Full Version: Is Honesty the best policy?
i think honesty is the way to go for many reasons. one being that liars can't be trusted. i don't like being lied to. i'd rather have someone tell me the truth even if what they have to tell me could hurt my feelings. if someone lies about one thing, no matter how small that lie may be, who's to say they won't lie about something else. something more serious or important. just be honest. side note: i think people tend to forget that being honest doesn't mean that it's okay to be rude. i'm rambling.
Well what about cases where someone's life is in danger. For example, if a dude that I know robs people all the time asks if I have a phone that he can borrow, you're damn right I'm gonna lie. Isn't that dishonest?
Nah Sharia Law is.
I think honesty is the best policy when it IS (or should be) the best policy; which is not all the time, if you get what I mean. Sometimes, like in your example, it's better to "lie". Everyone makes little white lies here and there, or lies to make people feel better, or get themselves out of difficult situations.
On the other hand, it's better to be honset about serious things. It all depends on the situation and the "magnitude" of the lie, so to speak.
On the other hand, it's better to be honset about serious things. It all depends on the situation and the "magnitude" of the lie, so to speak.
well that is the saying "Honesty is the best policy". obviously if that guy is a bad guy who is a robber, who goes against the policy. of course your going to lie and say no. what's your definition of policy? i agree what ect said (:
QUOTE(BamBamBoogie @ Mar 12 2009, 11:16 PM) 
Im arguing this topic in a debate tournament soon. The topic that my team is arguing is "Honesty is the best policy" So I figured it would be interesting to see what you all think about it. I would like it if everyone doesn't get too spammy and stays on topic. Thanks.
This is a very easy debate if your opposing the statement "Honesty is the best policy."
The Bible doesn't say "do not lie". It say's "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor". Lying is not wrong. Hurting people with your lies is wrong, slander. Lying about yourself is not necessarily wrong, but more often than not its stupid.
FUK NO..
lie da best..
lie da best..
I suppose you have decide whether or not you think that you ought not to lie should be a universal thing. It's difficult to take a position that it's "sometimes" ok and that it can be justified. I think if someone has good intentions when the lie, it should matter. Last week I had to write my paper on Kantism vs. Utilitarianism and lying came up quite a bit...
What do you think of this situation?
You're walking down the sidewalk, when your friend comes running up to you and says that a crazed man is chasing after him with a knife and that he's going to go home. A few minutes later the crazed man with a knife comes running and asks you if you know where your friend went. You lie and tell the crazed man that your friend went to a bowling alley... but what you don't know is that when your friend was on his way home he thought that the crazed man would go to his home so he decided to hide in the bowling alley.
You lied and your friend died, but your intentions were good. You shouldn't be blamed for trapping your friend, because you had no idea he wasn't going where he said he was. But others would disagree.
What do you think of this situation?
You're walking down the sidewalk, when your friend comes running up to you and says that a crazed man is chasing after him with a knife and that he's going to go home. A few minutes later the crazed man with a knife comes running and asks you if you know where your friend went. You lie and tell the crazed man that your friend went to a bowling alley... but what you don't know is that when your friend was on his way home he thought that the crazed man would go to his home so he decided to hide in the bowling alley.
You lied and your friend died, but your intentions were good. You shouldn't be blamed for trapping your friend, because you had no idea he wasn't going where he said he was. But others would disagree.
QUOTE(Uronacid @ Mar 17 2009, 03:09 PM)
This is a very easy debate if your opposing the statement "Honesty is the best policy."
The Bible doesn't say "do not lie". It say's "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor". Lying is not wrong. Hurting people with your lies is wrong, slander. Lying about yourself is not necessarily wrong, but more often than not its stupid.
The Bible doesn't say "do not lie". It say's "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor". Lying is not wrong. Hurting people with your lies is wrong, slander. Lying about yourself is not necessarily wrong, but more often than not its stupid.
Well, everyone isn't Christian, so....
QUOTE(karmakiller @ Mar 17 2009, 07:10 PM)
I suppose you have decide whether or not you think that you ought not to lie should be a universal thing. It's difficult to take a position that it's "sometimes" ok and that it can be justified. I think if someone has good intentions when the lie, it should matter. Last week I had to write my paper on Kantism vs. Utilitarianism and lying came up quite a bit...
What do you think of this situation?
You're walking down the sidewalk, when your friend comes running up to you and says that a crazed man is chasing after him with a knife and that he's going to go home. A few minutes later the crazed man with a knife comes running and asks you if you know where your friend went. You lie and tell the crazed man that your friend went to a bowling alley... but what you don't know is that when your friend was on his way home he thought that the crazed man would go to his home so he decided to hide in the bowling alley.
You lied and your friend died, but your intentions were good. You shouldn't be blamed for trapping your friend, because you had no idea he wasn't going where he said he was. But others would disagree.
What do you think of this situation?
You're walking down the sidewalk, when your friend comes running up to you and says that a crazed man is chasing after him with a knife and that he's going to go home. A few minutes later the crazed man with a knife comes running and asks you if you know where your friend went. You lie and tell the crazed man that your friend went to a bowling alley... but what you don't know is that when your friend was on his way home he thought that the crazed man would go to his home so he decided to hide in the bowling alley.
You lied and your friend died, but your intentions were good. You shouldn't be blamed for trapping your friend, because you had no idea he wasn't going where he said he was. But others would disagree.
That's a good scenario. I don't think you should be blamed either. I do think that a person should lie better than that and simply tell him you don't know.
I think that honesty isn't the best policy simply because it can sometimes cause harm in situations with criminals. Now others may argue that dishonesty may lead to harm as well, but a policy with so many clauses in it can't be best, can it? I think street smarts, along with logic is the best way to go.
QUOTE(BamBamBoogie @ Mar 17 2009, 08:35 PM)
Well, everyone isn't Christian, so....
That's a good scenario. I don't think you should be blamed either. I do think that a person should lie better than that and simply tell him you don't know.
I think that honesty isn't the best policy simply because it can sometimes cause harm in situations with criminals. Now others may argue that dishonesty may lead to harm as well, but a policy with so many clauses in it can't be best, can it? I think street smarts, along with logic is the best way to go.
That's a good scenario. I don't think you should be blamed either. I do think that a person should lie better than that and simply tell him you don't know.
I think that honesty isn't the best policy simply because it can sometimes cause harm in situations with criminals. Now others may argue that dishonesty may lead to harm as well, but a policy with so many clauses in it can't be best, can it? I think street smarts, along with logic is the best way to go.
Obviously, but religion is generally more restrictive when it comes to moral codes and such. In this case it's not.
I hate when people lie all the time, so in most cases I think it is the best policy. If I got a new shirt that made me look stupid, I'd like it if someone told me.
There are situations that aren't as extreme as having someone robbing or shooting people where it's better to lie. Just today I had a girl in my art class accidentally get red paint all over my favorite jeans. Obviously it wasn't okay and I wanted to burst into tears, but I told her it was because she was on the verge of crying, too. The lie didn't hurt any of us, so there wasn't really anything wrong with it.
There are situations that aren't as extreme as having someone robbing or shooting people where it's better to lie. Just today I had a girl in my art class accidentally get red paint all over my favorite jeans. Obviously it wasn't okay and I wanted to burst into tears, but I told her it was because she was on the verge of crying, too. The lie didn't hurt any of us, so there wasn't really anything wrong with it.
DUH.
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