Deception Debate Guide

From PhiloWiki

According to the rhetorical tradition there is no truth that measures our assertions, only a body of arguments that shape the world of discourse within which assertions take place. Philosophy's deception, according to the rhetoricians, is its suggestion that there is a truth to which it is loyal when in fact any philosophy is only a cluster of arguments expressing the interest of the philosopher.

Deception and philosophy from The Highroad Around Modernism

• What is deception? How is it to be judged?
• Does philosophy have elements of deception?
• Is self-deception possible?
• What does "This statement is a deception" mean?
• How do we know that our mind is not deceiving us right now? Or is it?
• Compare and contrast deception and secrecy.

Contents 1 Deceptions in self 2 Deceptions in society 3 Deceptions in religion 4 Deceptions in war 5 Deceptions in politics 6 Other resources

Deceptions in self

"Self-deception is a state of believing that humans enter into as a result of desiring. It’s motivated irrationality. The abused wife in denial, for example, wants it to be true that her husband won’t beat her again, and this desire engenders the belief that he won’t. She’s not unintelligent; she’s self-deceived. Likewise, the college dropout clings fiercely to the belief that finishing his education isn’t necessary for having good employment prospects. He wants that to be true; that wanting causes a self-deceptive breakdown of his better standards of judgment.

"The two examples I just gave suggest that self-deception is to be avoided. There are many, however, who would resist this conclusion. One prominent ethicist, whose name I won’t mention, speculated once in conversation, 'Maybe it’s a good thing we deceive ourselves.'" -Neil Van Leeuwen

Blog: Self Deception and Moral Dilemmas from Philosophy Talk blog

• Is self-deception intentional; ie, a conscious decision?
• Are there cases where self-deception can be a benefit?
• Compare and contrast the dreams and fantasies that motivate us and self-deception. How are they connected? Is self-deception necessary to overcome obstacles; ie, is self-deception a form of determination?
• What are superstitions? Is there a correlation with self-deception?

Deceptions in society

The term culture industry was coined by Theodor Adorno (1903-1969) and Max Horkheimer (1895-1973). They argued that popular culture is like a factory producing standardized cultural goods to manipulate the masses into passivity; the easy pleasures available through consumption of popular culture make people docile and content, no matter how difficult their economic circumstances. Adorno and Horkheimer saw this mass-produced culture as a danger to the more difficult high arts. Culture industries cultivate false needs; that is, needs created and satisfied by capitalism. True needs, in contrast, are freedom, creativity, or genuine happiness.

Wikipedia: Culture Industry  from Wikipedia, Culture Industry

• Is deception part of the fabric of how cultures are developed and maintained?
• How is competition impacted by deception?
• What role does deception play in an entertainment culture? In business advertising/marketing? How does the media impact deception?
• What would you consider to be the top deceptions in the way people relate to each other on a personal level?

Deceptions in religion

"Once there is a desire to believe the metaphysical doctrines of the religion, the mind is ripe for self-deception. Self-deception has essentially two components. First, a person forms a belief in violation of his usual standards of evidence and judgment—what philosophers call epistemic norms. Second, a desire with content related to the content of the belief causes the deviation from the healthy belief formation process. Because vilification, fear, and desire bring about the religious credence—while that credence is at odds with usual standards of judgment—the process by which religious beliefs come about is one of self-deception." - Neil Van Leeuwen

Blog: Self-Deception and the Problem with Religious Belief Formation from Philosophy Talk blog

• Does belief in God involve deception?
• Do religions rely on deception?
• How has deception played a role in the development and growth of the major world religions?
• What would you consider to be the top religious deceptions?

Deceptions in war

Warfare is one thing. It is a philosophy of deception. When you are ready, you try to appear incapacitated. When active, you pretend inactivity. When you are close to the enemy, you appear distant. When far away, pretend that you are near.

If the enemy has a strong position, entice him away from it. If the enemy is confused, be decisive. If the enemy is solid, prepare against him. If the enemy is strong, avoid him. If the enemy is angry, frustrate him. If the enemy is weaker, make him arrogant. If the enemy is relaxed, make him work. If the enemy is united, break him apart. Attack him when he is unprepared. Leave when he least expects it.

Sun Tzu's Art of War  from Sun Tzu's Art of War

• How is deception related to game theory?
• Is it possible to wage war without deception? Is this a worthy goal?
• Can deception prevent war?
• What impact does self-deception have on war?
• What would you consider to be the top deceptions in warfare?

Deceptions in politics

Strauss noted that thinkers of the first rank, going back to Plato, had raised the problem of whether good and effective politicians could be completely truthful and still achieve the necessary ends of their society. By implication, Strauss asks his readers to consider whether "noble lies" have any role at all to play in uniting and guiding the polis. Are "myths" needed to give people meaning and purpose and to ensure a stable society? Or can men and women dedicated to relentlessly examining, in Nietzsche's language, those "deadly truths", flourish freely? Thus, is there a limit to the political, and what can be known absolutely? In The City and Man, Strauss discusses the myths outlined in Plato's Republic that are required for all governments. These include a belief that the state's land belongs to it even though it was likely acquired illegitimately, and that citizenship is rooted in something more than the accidents of birth. Strauss has been interpreted as endorsing "noble lies;" myths used by political leaders seeking to maintain a cohesive society.

Leo Strauss Wikipedia entry: Noble lies and deadly truths  from Wikipedia, Leo Strauss

• Is deception necessary in the organization of the State?
• What deceptions are political and economic systems built upon?
• What would you consider to be the top political deceptions throughout history?

Other resources

• The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception, by Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer (1944). http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/adorno/1944/culture-industry.htm

• Leo Strauss’ Philosophy of Deception: http://www.peuplesmonde.com/imprimer-article.php3?id_article=159