1. Truthtelling and the “Liar’s Paradox” Epimenides the Cretan once stated: “All Cretans are liars!” (Was he telling the truth?) Mark Twain: “None of us could live with an habitual truth teller; but, thank goodness, none of us has to.”

3. The “true” liar’s paradox seems to be this: we believe, as a default position, that lying is always wrong BUT we tend to believe that lying is sometimes excusable, occasionally permissible, and rarely, even obligatory (to prevent some great harm or injury)

4. Utilitarianism and Truthtelling an act of truthtelling is RIGHT if (and only if) the good consequences outweigh the bad an act of lying is WRONG only when the bad consequences outweigh the good This seems to be the wrong explanation of why lying is wrong but perhaps a correct clue about when there might be exceptions or excuses to the rule against lying

5. Absolutism from St. Augustine to Kant Lying is ALWAYS wrong. No excuses, no exceptions. CI 3 -- Kingdom of Ends: legislative inconsistency and incoherence CI 1 -- Universal Law: “free rider status” CI 2 -- Respect for Persons: deception as betrayal, use of deceived as a means merely to achieve the liar’s own self-serving ends

6. “Principle of Veracity” lying always requires a reason, a justification; truth-telling does not. Generally true. But... is this always true? Need to define: EXCUSES; BLAMEWORTHINESS Presumably it might at least be EXCUSABLE, to tell a lie when one or more of the following conditions is met:

7. prevent great HARM (a murderer in search of their intended victim) bring about some great BENEFIT (LtCOL North’s appeal; physician concealing or misrepresenting medical diagnosis to a patient)