In an episode of Seinfeld, the group visits a friend who just had a baby, the ugliest baby anyone has ever seen. But, everyone, of course, tells the parents the baby is beautiful, even breathtaking. It's a "must lie" situation and the parents will never know that their baby is not only not beautiful but downright ugly.

Please help me to identify five other "must lie" situations where lying seems the only socially acceptable response.  Each situation include the following:

1. Liar - Who must lie?
2. Situation - What is the occasion that prompts the "must lie" situation?
3. Target - Who is the person who must be lied to?
4. Purpose - What is the purpose of the lie? What would happen if the truth were told? What does the liar hope to achieve by lying?

After listing the situations, answer the following questions:

• What ethical issues are involved in such situations? That is, can any of these lies be considered unethical?
• Can the failure to lie in any of these situations be considered unethical?

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

1 Liar Employee Situation Performance Review Target Employees supervisor Purpose The purpose of the lie is to maintain a positive work environment and preserve the employees job satisfaction If the tr... View the full answer