Abstract: From innocent white lies to egregious acts of betrayal, lying comes in many forms. Even though lies are ubiquitous in interpersonal relationships, to accuse someone of lying is nevertheless a serious charge, an indictment that calls into question the moral character of the accused. But despite most people’s general uneasiness and disdain towards liars, few are willing to endorse a blanket prohibition on lying. Intuition compels many to tolerate lying, if somewhat reluctantly, as occasionally justifiable. In light of this tension generated by the issue of lying, two critical questions emerge: (1) what is a lie, and (2) to what extent are lies justifiable, if at all?
In response to these questions, Augustine of Hippo presents one such set of solutions: a lie is any external signification from a speaker to a listener that contains both 1) an intent to assert falsehood and 2) an intent to deceive; lying is also never permissible, no matter the circumstances.
In this talk, I will describe, interpret, and evaluate Augustine’s theory on lying, beginning with a detailed outline of Augustine's definition of a lie and ending with Augustine's moral arguments.
Ockham Society Convenors: Rian Coady, Lucas Janz and Isabel Weir | Ockham Society Webpage
