Is it unethical to coerce a child into believing a lie?

[MikeF]

Is it wrong or unethical to coerce a child into believing a lie?

Once the coerced lie is accepted, can it be traumatic for the child to then learn it was a lie?

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Is it wrong or unethical to coerce a child into believing a lie?

Once the coerced lie is accepted, can it be traumatic for the child to then learn it was a lie?

Depends on what you consider relevant. To me it is wrong to me, but that is the point, it is wrong to me.
For the second question that depends on what you consider harm. But yes, it can be considered harm, if you accept psychological harm, but no all people do that.
Why is this in philosophy?

 

[SalixIncendium]

Is it wrong or unethical to coerce a child into believing a lie?

Once the coerced lie is accepted, can it be traumatic for the child to then learn it was a lie?

Depends on the lie, or more specifically, the impact that lie will have on one's life.

Some are harmless, like Santa. I can't remember being all that traumatized when I learned Santa wasn't real, can you?

When I was told that the person I grew up thinking was my biological father was actually an adopted parent, while it explained a good deal, it was slightly more traumatic and raised a great deal more questions.

 

[Soandso]

Is it wrong or unethical to coerce a child into believing a lie?

Once the coerced lie is accepted, can it be traumatic for the child to then learn it was a lie?

Building a foundation of openness and honesty with one's own kid is important, but life is complicated too and sometimes parents lie to their kids to protect children or themselves. If a child finds out their parent is lying about something, especially something important, it can absolutely erode trust with them further down the line

I think honesty is the best policy, and lies should definitely be avoided

 

[Zwing]

Is it wrong or unethical to coerce a child into believing a lie?

Once the coerced lie is accepted, can it be traumatic for the child to then learn it was a lie?

Within the context of my personal morality, yes it is. The willful leading of another into delusion, even if there is no benefit to oneself, involves a manipulation which steals the other’s right to truth.

 

[Koldo]

Is it wrong or unethical to coerce a child into believing a lie?

Once the coerced lie is accepted, can it be traumatic for the child to then learn it was a lie?

I am not sure I understand how that would work.
How does one coerce someone else into believing in something?

 

[MikeF]

Depends on what you consider relevant. To me it is wrong to me, but that is the point, it is wrong to me.
For the second question that depends on what you consider harm. But yes, it can be considered harm, if you accept psychological harm, but no all people do that.
Why is this in philosophy?

Does Philosophy not concern itself with ethics? Which forum would you recommend this question be in?

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Does Philosophy not concern itself with ethics? Which forum would you recommend this question be in?

It could also be in psychology or science or religion.
Sometimes philosophy should be avoided, because we are one step away from - Is that truly real?

 

[SalixIncendium]

We also have a morals/ethics sub-forum, but I think it's fine where it is.

 

[MikeF]

I am not sure I understand how that would work.
How does one coerce someone else into believing in something?

You can't think of anything? What if the child is told only those who believe the lie will receive material benefit? What if they are told that if they do not believe the lie they are a bad person? Would you consider that to be coercive?

 

[MikeF]

We also have a morals/ethics sub-forum, but I think it's fine where it is.

Thanks. I did not realize.

 

[MikeF]

Depends on the lie, or more specifically, the impact that lie will have on one's life.

I would agree that lies can have a range of impact, many being quite insignificant. The subject really is more than just telling a lie to a child, though, it is about using coercion to reinforce and maintain the lie.

Some are harmless, like Santa. I can't remember being all that traumatized when I learned Santa wasn't real, can you?

I was not traumatised, but then I can't recall really believing in Santa. I'm sure I may have accepted it without question at some young age, but once the mechanics of the whole affair didn't seem to make sense, I was skeptical.

One of my wife's younger brothers, though, apparently became quite upset in elemenatary school when demanding of his mother whether Santa really existed and she confessed he did not. The incident was prompted when his belief was challenged by school friends.

In a coerced lie, can we always be confident as to how any particular person will react when the lie is realized as such?

When I was told that the person I grew up thinking was my biological father was actually an adopted parent, while it explained a good deal, it was slightly more traumatic and raised a great deal more questions.

Was coercion involved in having you accept your adopted parent as biological?

 

[Augustus]

Is it wrong or unethical to coerce a child into believing a lie?

Once the coerced lie is accepted, can it be traumatic for the child to then learn it was a lie?

It can be traumatic to tell children the truth too.

Whether it s unethical depends on what it is and why you are lying to them

(I assume your question relates to people telling them something they know is wrong rather than think is rue but is in fact wrong).

 

[Koldo]

You can't think of anything? What if the child is told only those who believe the lie will receive material benefit?

Depends on what you mean by material benefit. If you mean as in getting rich for example I don't see any coercion. I can think of an example now though: If you don't believe in X, God will kill you and send you to hell.

What is they are told that if they do not believe the lie they are a bad person? Would you consider that to be coercive?

No, because there is no threat.

 

[Jimmy]

Lie? What lie? Religion? Nah

 

[MikeF]

Within the context of my personal morality, yes it is. The willful leading of another into delusion, even if there is no benefit to oneself, involves a manipulation which steals the other’s right to truth.

The wording "even if there is not benefit to oneself" was not clear to me. Do you mean, if a coerced lie had some perceived benefit to the one being coerced, you still would find that unethical? If so, I think I would agree. I am hard pressed to think of a senario where it is in the best interest to convince someone of a lie in a way that would cause them to supress their acknowledgement of truths that reveal or demonstrate the lie.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I would agree that lies can have a range of impact, many being quite insignificant. The subject really is more than just telling a lie to a child, though, it is about using coercion to reinforce and maintain the lie.



I was not traumatised, but then I can't recall really believing in Santa. I'm sure I may have accepted it without question at some young age, but once the mechanics of the whole affair didn't seem to make sense, I was skeptical.

One of my wife's younger brothers, though, apparently became quite upset in elemenatary school when demanding of his mother whether Santa really existed and she confessed he did not. The incident was prompted when his belief was challenged by school friends.

In a coerced lie, can we always be confident as to how any particular person will react when the lie is realized as such?

No. But we can't always be confident on how any particular person will react to anything, can we? We can use past behavior as a barometer, but we can never know for certain, whether its a reaction learning something was a lie or to anything else.

Was coercion involved in having you accept your adopted parent as biological?

No, but wouldn't the expectation to accept that person as a parent be considered coercion anyway?

 

[MikeF]

Depends on what you mean by material benefit. If you mean as in getting rich for example I don't see any coercion. I can think of an example now though: If you don't believe in X, God will kill you and send you to hell.

So, telling a child that if they do not truely believe in a particular thing, they will not recieve all the wonderful things that everyone else who truely believes will receive is not coercive? How do you imagine a child would process it? What are the psychological effects if it comes from a trusted authority figue? What if they believe with complete earnestness, and still do not seem to aquire what they expect?

No, because there is no threat.

Do you mean physical punishment is the only form of coercive threat?

 

[MikeF]

It can be traumatic to tell children the truth too.

Whether it s unethical depends on what it is and why you are lying to them

I agree. What about the element of coercion? Does that change anything, or is that available and circumstance dependent also?

(I assume your question relates to people telling them something they know is wrong rather than think is rue but is in fact wrong).
[/QUOTE]

Yes. I think to lie to someone requires that the liar knows that it is a lie.

 

[Zwing]

The wording "even if there is not benefit to oneself" was not clear to me.

I mean, even if it is not done in self-interest.