Telling lies and breaking promises

• Sociological understanding

  • acts which destabilise our society
  • immoral for that reason only
• Aquinas' view

  • conscience would inform that its not rational as it conflicts with the synderesis rule
  • Violates primary precept of living in an ordered society
  • Exceptional circumstances: e/g mad axe murderer - could tell an 'evasive' truth
• Freud's understanding

  • if people feel guilt/remorse then they have an active conscience
  • comes from parental teaching
  • common in modern society - explains why the superego remains quiet in some people (parents saw no problem with such acts)
  • little or no sense of the conscience treating lying/breaking promises as a moral issue