Play along...

[tinyjo]

OK, just for fun, here is the essay question I will be answering this afternoon:

‘It is wrong to tell lies, so patients should always be told the truth about their condition.’ Is this a good argument?

I've turned off emailing comments on this and I promise not to look until I've written the essay (1000 words, in case you're interested). What do you think?

Comments

[jinty]

There's also a distinction or a point to be made about the whole truth versus truthful statements. The original question implies the doctor would / should sit down and explain it all, including negative things which might impact on the patient's will to live (cf prissi's comment below) or otherwise not be helpful (cf brixtonbrood's comment about the placebo effect). You can say true things without telling the truth, if the latter is understood to mean "the whole truth".