Major and Classification
Philosophy and Political Science
Faculty Mentor
Dallas Willard, Ph.D.
Department
Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
McNair Project
“Truthfulness and Its Limits”
Project Abstract
Should there be limits to truthfulness, or should truthfulness be unconditional? This is a question that has troubled many moral philosophers in ancient, and modern times. In this study I survey both Plato and Kant’s moral perspectives on lying. Although they both have similar thoughts about morality, they have distinct views concerning unconditional truthfulness. Plato argues that lying ought to be permissible under exceptional circumstances, whereas Kant prohibits lying regardless of the circumstance. Although both Plato and Kant offer strong arguments for their position on truthfulness, both arguments cannot be simultaneously accepted, for they are opposing arguments. Therefore, I argue that Plato offers a more practical approach to the question of whether truthfulness should have limits. I begin my argument by analytically examining Kant’s moral philosophy against lying, and explain why Kant considers lying to be the worst evil in the universe. Then, I discuss Plato’s argument on why lying cannot be unconditional, but rather ought to be permissible in certain exceptional circumstances. I conclude with a presentation of a circumstance where I test both Plato and Kant’s approach as it relates to lying in order to determine which would be most favorable (or most logical) in difficult situations. My argument lends support to the perspective that Plato offers a more practical approach to the question of whether truthfulness should have limits.