Many of us would probably say that lying is a matter of moral choice. But in his philosophy book A History of Lying, Juan Jacinto Muñoz-Rengel takes us in a different direction, which he calls “non-moral”.
He takes several persuasive steps to redirect us. First, he asks us to take into account how we represent reality to ourselves, and how we see it in relation to the self. This requires us to employ awareness of not just the world but also the concepts to describe it to ourselves and others. Moreover, “the reality” we believe we see and know might be an illusion (幻觉). So how do we even know when we’re telling the truth, and when we’re lying about it?
His second step is to say that our sense of personal identity should be treated with doubt, since we’re frequently wrong about our own experiences. If continuing personal identity might be an illusion, then the reality we see might be an illusion as well. But we choose to take part like actors in this illusion.
From here Muñoz-Rengel takes a third step towards what he calls “evolutionary epistemology (认识论)”, which shows everything we claim to know should be evaluated through an evolutionary angle. For instance, to stay safe from natural enemies or hunt for food, some animals evolve into being capable of mixing with the surroundings to delude others. The thing is, the species continues through natural selection processes. Equally, we grow myths to explain the natural world and our place in it… As individuals and as societies, various forms of lies are built into our DNA.
The arguments in this book are strongly made, but more than a few of Muñoz-Rengel’s viewpoints need far more evidence as support. But anyhow, in separating the discussion from conventional morality-based studies of lying, he has produced a lively and distinctive work. But still, there is one thing to remember — we perhaps will be liars, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask ourselves when it is acceptable to lie and when it isn’t.
【小题1】What can be implied about Muñoz-Rengel’s first persuasive step?| A．We can hardly control what we do in real life. |
| B．We are able to tell illusions from reality. |
| C．We choose to lie or not in different cases. |
| D．We tend to see reality in a subjective way. |
| A．To make a comparison. | B．To clarify a concept. |
| C．To raise a problem. | D．To change a topic. |
| A．Surprise. | B．Trick. | C．Amuse. | D．Protect. |
| A．One-sided but convincing. | B．Conventional but impressive. |
| C．Poorly-based but novel. | D．Serious but understandable. |
