I think this issue of the difficulty of making each decision about lying as an independent decision is the main argument for treating it as a virtue ethics or deontological issue.
I think you make many good points in the essay arguing that one should not simply follow a rule of honesty. I think that in practice the difference can be split, and that is in fact what most rationalists and other wise human beings do. I also think it is highly useful to write this essay on the mini virtues of lying, so that that difference can be split well.
There are many subtle downsides to lying, so simply adding a bit of a fudge factor to the decision that weighs against it is one way to avoid taking forever to make that decision. You’ve talked about practicing making the decision quickly, and I suspect that is the result of that practice.
This is a separate issue, but your point about being technically correct is also a valuable one. It is clearly not being honest to say things you know will cause the listener to form false beliefs.
I have probably aired on the side of honesty as have many rationalists, treating it not as an absolute deontological issue and being willing to fudge a little on the side of technically correct to maintain social graces in some situations. I enjoy a remarkable degree of trust from my true friends, because they know me to be reliably honest. However, I have probably suffered reputational damages from acquaintances and failed friends, for whom my exceptional honesty has proven hurtful. Those people don’t have adequate experience with me to see that I am reliably honest and appreciate the advantages of having a friend who can be relied upon to tell the truth. That’s because they’ve ceased being my friend when they’ve been either insulted or irritated by my unhelpful honesty.
There is much here I agree with and much I disagree with. But I think this topic is hugely valuable for the rationalist community, and you’ve written it up very well. Nice work!
I think this issue of the difficulty of making each decision about lying as an independent decision is the main argument for treating it as a virtue ethics or deontological issue.
I think you make many good points in the essay arguing that one should not simply follow a rule of honesty. I think that in practice the difference can be split, and that is in fact what most rationalists and other wise human beings do. I also think it is highly useful to write this essay on the mini virtues of lying, so that that difference can be split well.
There are many subtle downsides to lying, so simply adding a bit of a fudge factor to the decision that weighs against it is one way to avoid taking forever to make that decision. You’ve talked about practicing making the decision quickly, and I suspect that is the result of that practice.
This is a separate issue, but your point about being technically correct is also a valuable one. It is clearly not being honest to say things you know will cause the listener to form false beliefs.
I have probably aired on the side of honesty as have many rationalists, treating it not as an absolute deontological issue and being willing to fudge a little on the side of technically correct to maintain social graces in some situations. I enjoy a remarkable degree of trust from my true friends, because they know me to be reliably honest. However, I have probably suffered reputational damages from acquaintances and failed friends, for whom my exceptional honesty has proven hurtful. Those people don’t have adequate experience with me to see that I am reliably honest and appreciate the advantages of having a friend who can be relied upon to tell the truth. That’s because they’ve ceased being my friend when they’ve been either insulted or irritated by my unhelpful honesty.
There is much here I agree with and much I disagree with. But I think this topic is hugely valuable for the rationalist community, and you’ve written it up very well. Nice work!