PhilosophySociology
DOI: 10.5840/ijap20072124

tlooto Summary

This 2007 article rejects previous definitions of deceiving and proposes a new definition requiring intentional action, agency of the deceived person, and false belief.

Abstract

In this article I consider six definitions of deceiving (that is, other-deceiving, as opposed to self-deceiving) and reject them all, in favor of a modified version of a rejected definition that avoids all of the objections to the previous definitions. According to this new definition, deceiving is necessarily intentional, requires that the deceived person acquires or continues to have a false belief, and must involve the agency of the deceived person; furthermore, the deceiver must know or truly believe that the false belief that the deceived person acquires or continues to have is false.

Citation format

MAHON, J. A definition of deceiving. International Journal of Applied Philosophy, 2007, 21: 181–194.