Immanuel Kant: The Duties of the Categorical Imperative

Read this section, which shows some of the difficulties of an objective, "categorical" approach. Do the circumstances affect the morality of lying, or is it always wrong to lie? Is it really lying if Weinstein chooses not to write the book? Is there conflict between telling the truth and the imperative of dignity in Weinstein's dilemma?

Objections to the First Version of the Categorical Imperative

One of the objections to this ethical guidance is that a reality without lying can be awfully uncomfortable. If your boss shows up for work on a Friday wearing one of those designer dresses that looks great on a supermodel and ridiculous everyhere else, and she asks what you think, what are you going to say? "Hideous"? Telling the truth no matter what, whether we're at work or anywhere else, is one of those things that sounds good in the abstract but is almost impossible to actually live by.

Then the problem gets worse. A deranged addict storms into your office announcing that he's just received a message from the heavens. While chewing manically on dirty fingernails, he relates that he's supposed to attack someone named Jones – anyone named Jones. "What," he suddenly demands, "is your name?" Unfortunately, you happen to be named Sam Jones. Now what?