Truth-TellingTruth-Telling

Leadership and EthicsLeadership and Ethics

23 FEB 0023 FEB 00

Haick and NiebelHaick and Niebel

Truth-TellingTruth-Telling

Truth-telling, promise-keeping, and Truth-telling, promise-keeping, and trustworthiness are values that are trustworthiness are values that are central to the Navy.central to the Navy.

……Temptation to lie, say, when Temptation to lie, say, when immediate circumstances make lying immediate circumstances make lying convenient and we think we will be convenient and we think we will be able to “talk ourselves out of trouble” able to “talk ourselves out of trouble” later. But lying can have disastrous later. But lying can have disastrous and fatal consequences. and fatal consequences.

Justification to SelfJustification to Self

Recourses one’s own conscienceRecourses one’s own conscience Those who lie can accommodate Those who lie can accommodate

conscience easilyconscience easily Not sufficient PublicityNot sufficient Publicity Example: the HeadhunterExample: the Headhunter

The Absolute Prohibition of The Absolute Prohibition of LyingLying

St. AugustineSt. Augustine– God forbids all God forbids all

lies, liars endanger lies, liars endanger their immortal soultheir immortal soul

– Some lies are Some lies are worse then othersworse then others

Worst: lies when Worst: lies when teaching religionteaching religion

““Best”: lies which Best”: lies which keep someone keep someone from harmfrom harm

The Absolute Prohibition of The Absolute Prohibition of LyingLying

St. Augustine (continued)St. Augustine (continued)– ““It cannot be denied that they have It cannot be denied that they have

attained a very high standard of attained a very high standard of goodness who never lie except to goodness who never lie except to save a man from injury; but in the save a man from injury; but in the case of men who have reached this case of men who have reached this standard, it is not the deceit, but their standard, it is not the deceit, but their good intention that is justly good intention that is justly praised…”praised…”

Three Methods to Beat St. Three Methods to Beat St. Augustine’s RulesAugustine’s Rules

Pardon some lies (Aquinas)Pardon some lies (Aquinas)– Officious-helpful liesOfficious-helpful lies– Jocose-lies in jestJocose-lies in jest– Malicious-told to harm someoneMalicious-told to harm someone

““I didn’t lie, you misinterpreted”I didn’t lie, you misinterpreted”– ““Mental Reservation” or “Mental Restraint”Mental Reservation” or “Mental Restraint”– Withhold information to deceiveWithhold information to deceive

Certain Falsehoods aren’t lies (Groitus)Certain Falsehoods aren’t lies (Groitus)– Lawyer’s View: if it’s not illegal, then it’s Lawyer’s View: if it’s not illegal, then it’s

morally acceptablemorally acceptable

Our Old Friend KantOur Old Friend Kant

Strongest Strongest arguments against arguments against lyinglying

Nothing excuses a Nothing excuses a lielie

No effort to No effort to distinguish among distinguish among lieslies

A lie is harmful to A lie is harmful to mankindmankind

JustificationJustification

To defend as right and proper.To defend as right and proper. To hold up a religious, legal, or To hold up a religious, legal, or

moral standard.moral standard. Requires an audience.Requires an audience.

PublicityPublicity

Justification directed at reasonable Justification directed at reasonable peoplepeople

Workable test for looking at Workable test for looking at concrete moral choicesconcrete moral choices

Counters self-deceptionCounters self-deception

Levels of JustificationLevels of Justification

To selfTo self To peersTo peers To the general publicTo the general public

Justification to FriendsJustification to Friends

Can give easily accessible Can give easily accessible audience.audience.

Does not eliminate bias (friends Does not eliminate bias (friends carry shared assumptions).carry shared assumptions).

Example: Johnson’s “Wise Men”Example: Johnson’s “Wise Men”

Justification to PublicJustification to Public

Rules out “hand-Rules out “hand-picking”picking”

Requires Requires complete, rational complete, rational justificationjustification

Handles more Handles more complex issues complex issues more thoroughlymore thoroughly

Ex: Unmarked Ex: Unmarked police carspolice cars

JustificationJustification

How would Utilitarian and Kantian How would Utilitarian and Kantian philosophies view lying?philosophies view lying?

The TestThe Test

Can a lie or practice be defended Can a lie or practice be defended in the press or on television?in the press or on television?

Can a lie or practice be justified in Can a lie or practice be justified in advance in classrooms, workshops, advance in classrooms, workshops, or public meetings?or public meetings?

Operation MenuOperation Menu

BackgroundBackground– North Vietnamese North Vietnamese

Using Ho Chi Minh Using Ho Chi Minh TrailTrail

– ““Vietnamization”Vietnamization”– Procedure Change:Procedure Change:

Courier Brings Courier Brings TargetsTargets

False Data into False Data into ComputersComputers

Operation MenuOperation Menu

The SituationThe Situation UCMJUCMJ

– Crime to Falsify Crime to Falsify DocumentDocument

– Willfully disobeying Willfully disobeying punishable by punishable by deathdeath

B-52 Navigators B-52 Navigators will know positionwill know position

What do you do?What do you do?

Case Study: Flight JacketCase Study: Flight Jacket

NOMAX flight jackets are issued to NOMAX flight jackets are issued to aviators for flying duty ONLY. Once aviators for flying duty ONLY. Once a aviator leaves flying duty, he a aviator leaves flying duty, he must turn in his NOMAX.must turn in his NOMAX.

NOMAX lasts 3 years.NOMAX lasts 3 years. If a NOMAX jacket is lost, the If a NOMAX jacket is lost, the

aviator must pay a modest amount aviator must pay a modest amount to Supply. to Supply.

ComputersComputers

Use of government Use of government resources for resources for private businessprivate business

Private Business Private Business during Working during Working HoursHours

Family Family Emergency=BusinEmergency=Business Tripess Trip

Lost DocumentsLost Documents

Officer can’t account for classified Officer can’t account for classified documents he signed fordocuments he signed for

Believes they’ve been destroyedBelieves they’ve been destroyed Asks a close Friend to help forge a Asks a close Friend to help forge a

destruction recorddestruction record

To Fail OneselfTo Fail Oneself

Questionnaire asks about Questionnaire asks about Marijuana UseMarijuana Use

Have used it twice in collegeHave used it twice in college Could End Career Before it BeginsCould End Career Before it Begins

SouvenirsSouvenirs

Officer and Officer and Enlisted bring Enlisted bring back gifts from back gifts from overseasoverseas

Easy to smuggle Easy to smuggle small itemssmall items

Illegal to bring Illegal to bring fruit, endangers fruit, endangers fruit productionfruit production

Rights and LibertyRights and LibertyReading AssignmentReading Assignment

Ethics for Military LeadersEthics for Military Leaders– Topic 6Topic 6

On Liberty, p. 161On Liberty, p. 161 The Reflections on the Revolution in The Reflections on the Revolution in

FranceFrance, pp.. 173-178, pp.. 173-178 The Tailhook Report, p. 179-190The Tailhook Report, p. 179-190 Witch Hunt in the NavyWitch Hunt in the Navy, pp.. 191-192, pp.. 191-192 Wide Right, Wide Right, pp.. 193-206pp.. 193-206

Ethics and Moral Reasoning for Ethics and Moral Reasoning for Naval LeadersNaval Leaders– TailhookTailhook

Readings 1-3, 6-8Readings 1-3, 6-8 Case StudiesCase Studies

– Tailhook 91Tailhook 91, p. 25/26-87, p. 25/26-87– The StoriesThe Stories, pp. 25/26-88 - 25/26-90, pp. 25/26-88 - 25/26-90

Fundamentals of Naval Leadership IFundamentals of Naval Leadership I– Discrimination/Sexual Harassment,Discrimination/Sexual Harassment, pp. 4-6 pp. 4-6

through 4-8through 4-8

Rights and LibertyRights and LibertyReading Assignment (cont.)Reading Assignment (cont.)