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

[Hermit Philosopher]

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?

There is not 1 answer to that question, because it very much depends on:

• What the subject is
• What your lie is
• What your truth is
• Which of those you potentially think is more harmful to the child at that point
• How you phrase whatever it is that you choose to tell the child
• If you at a later point change what you have said; how you go about doing so.

Sometimes it’s more suitable to tell the child both/all versions/perspectives you think the child may come across and tell them what you think is true and why.

It simply depends.


Humbly,
Hermit

 

[bobhikes]

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?

You mean like teaching them false History in Schools, or theorical science that proves out false years later, or in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny or any other fictional character, or In cryptic beasts such as Yeti, Lock Ness monster, or in mytical creatures faries, witches and unicorns or such, or perhaps you mean religious beliefs. To tell the truth you might as well as give them the experience with one of these so they can have the ability to decern lies from people trying to harm them later in life.

 

[PureX]

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?

Yes, but it's all relative. We try to do what we think will cause the least harm. But we cannot see the future. Or into the hearts and mind of others. So our accuracy in assessing harm is questionable. Not to mention that we all have our biases.

 

[Watchmen]

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’s a slippery slope. What’s a “lie” to one person may be “truth” to another.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Complicated.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

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.

My own father didn't know that the man he called "dad" wasn't his father (hadn't even adopted him when he married his mother) until several days before he was getting married. And the woman he married was quite surprised to discover she wasn't going to be Mrs. Faulkner but instead Mrs. White. She was very noticeably pregnant with my eldest half-sister by that time. Caused quite a kerfuffle, to be sure.

When my mother (who bore his first child -- me) and I met when I was in my forties, she told me his Faulkner name, and I spent 25 years looking for R. Faulkner, rather than R. White. Had I known, I might have found him before he died -- but alas, not to be.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

It’s a slippery slope. What’s a “lie” to one person may be “truth” to another.

That may be true for ideas, but it's hard to see how it could be true for factual matters.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

ethical ?

coerce ?​

child ?​

lie ?​

​

Some (leading?) questions are soggier than others.

 

[Watchmen]

That may be true for ideas, but it's hard to see how it could be true for factual matters.

What is fact is often in the eye of the beholder. FACT: If I breath underwater I will drown. But that’s not true if I’m a fish or a scuba diver.

 

[Zwing]

What is fact is often in the eye of the beholder. FACT: If I breathe underwater I will drown. But that’s not true if I’m a fish or a scuba diver.

While interesting, this doesn’t address the question of the O.P. at all, which, remember, involves the ethicality of making a child believe a known untruth to be true.

 

[Watchmen]

While interesting, this doesn’t address the question of the O.P. at all, which, remember, involves the ethicality of making a child believe a known untruth to be true.

Actually, the OP just says “lie.” It does not say “known untruth.” There are nuanced differences and my post is on point. Is it a “lie” to say you will die if you breathe under water? Not necessarily.

 

[Zwing]

ethical ?

coerce ?​

child ?​

lie ?​

​

Some (leading?) questions are soggier than others.

True, true…but we can and must decipher the semantic bird’s nest that is often our mode of expression to discern the statement being obscured by the twigs. Here, it’s not that hard to see what the OP meant to say: is it immoral to make a person, whose ability to properly assess the validity of propositions is yet undeveloped, believe a known untruth to be true? Human natural language is a very blunt instrument.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

What is fact is often in the eye of the beholder. FACT: If I breath underwater I will drown. But that’s not true if I’m a fish or a scuba diver.

Pure sophistry. An invented scenario in which at first you can omit some of the conditions, only to add them later and say, "see, I win!"

 

[Zwing]

Actually, the OP just says “lie.” It does not say “known untruth.”

What is a “lie”? An “intentional falsehood”, or in other words…

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

... the OP meant to say: is it immoral to make a person, whose ability to properly assess the validity of propositions is yet undeveloped, believe a known untruth to be true?

I use to regale my granddaughters with elaborate tales about Priscilla, the Purple Fairy Princess who, for short distances, would flit around quietly and effortlessly, but would often mount one of her lovely hummingbirds for longer distances. Her working relationship and friendship with Busse Brontosaurus was really quite remarkable.

These granddaughters are now lovely young women who remember my story telling with a smile and may, perhaps, share the tales with their children. Forgive me is I feel good about the possibility.

 

[Zwing]

Forgive me is I feel good about the possibility.

Yet, there are plenty of wondrous and beautiful things in the real world to feel good about and regale our children with stories of.

 

[osgart]

Lies are intended to harm an innocent. Falsehood is not a moral issue til it becomes a lie. Lying is never acceptable.

Telling a falsehood can be a necessary thing or a totally irresponsible thing.

Coercing a false belief or conviction is immoral unless you are protecting innocence from harm. How often does that need happen? Not often

Motive, intent, and consequences of coercing falsehoods determine the morality of it.

In most cases telling the truth deserved is the only way to go. Coercing a child to believe falsehood isn't usually necessary unless knowing something true puts the child in danger or compromises an innocent. Then again not everyone lives the life of a spy.

 

[syo]

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

Children know everything. So it's kinda a stupid adult thing.

 

[Watchmen]

Pure sophistry. An invented scenario in which at first you can omit some of the conditions, only to add them later and say, "see, I win!"

Blah blah blah. Think what you want. I don’t care. I’m not claiming to win anything. I’m participating in a discussion.

 

[Watchmen]

Lies are intended to harm an innocent. Falsehood is not a moral issue til it becomes a lie. Lying is never acceptable.

Telling a falsehood can be a necessary thing or a totally irresponsible thing.

Coercing a false belief or conviction is immoral unless you are protecting innocence from harm. How often does that need happen? Not often

Motive, intent, and consequences of coercing falsehoods determine the morality of it.

In most cases telling the truth deserved is the only way to go. Coercing a child to believe falsehood isn't usually necessary unless knowing something true puts the child in danger or compromises an innocent. Then again not everyone lives the life of a spy.

Lying is never acceptable? If I knew aliens were going to invade our world and believed this knowledge would lead humankind to destroy itself before the aliens ever got here, maybe it’s better if I NOT tell the truth of what I know.