Nnadiebube Journal of Philosophy

Lying is one of the moral constructs that is surrounded with controversies. These controversies are hinged on the absoluteness of the moral injunction: ‘thou shall not lie’, thereby, painting a picture of an impeccable humanity capable of adhering to it. But in the ideal sense, is the human nature impeccable? There are situations where lying becomes expedient, especially, when it has to do with the preservation of life. Using some selected ethical theories such as Divine command theory, Kantianism and utilitarianism, the paper questions the absoluteness of the injunction: ‘thou shall not lie’. It concludes by establishing the necessity of exceptionality to this injunction given to the exigencies of the existence of man as mortal. This is because, preservation of life provides the springboard for other moral injunctions of which ‘thou shall not lie’ is one of them.

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