Book Review :Behind the hypocrisy : How we lie to everyone, especially to ourselves

Abstract

Behind the Hypocrisy" is the title of a book by Dan Ariel. In this book, Ariel has tried to show by empirical evidence that "the simple rational model of crime" cannot properly explain our deceptive behaviors. According to this model, individuals in each situation are victimized according to rational analysis and cost-benefit calculation. The individual measures the profits and losses from committing the criminal act and measures it if the profits outweigh the losses. Ariel believes that cost-benefit calculations, along with our image of ourselves as moral people, determine the extent of our deception. Cost-benefit calculation calls for maximum deception, but we deceive ourselves so much that our moral image is not distorted. The factor that causes us to keep our moral image while being deceived is "storytelling." Storytelling helps us to justify our deception and to escape some sort of conflict with conscience. In the present article, we have attempted to critique the author's claims while presenting a summary of the content of the book. Ariel's numerous experiments to prove his idea succeed in criticizing the simple rational model, but they are not sufficient to prove his model; However, some of his sub-claims have been well supported by these experiments.

Keywords

References

 
    1-            Ariel, Dan (2015), Behind the Hypocrisy; How We Lie to Everyone, Especially to Ourselves, Translated by Ramin Rambud, Tehran: Maziar.
    2-            Jason Silva (2011), Brain Games Documentary, Episode 16, https://www.aparat.com/v/vP1ji
    3-            Karimi, Yousef (2011), Social Psychology, Tehran: Arasbaran
    4-            .4. Crane, William (2005), Theories of Growth; Concepts and Applications, translation by Khoynejad and Alireza Rajaee, Tehran: Growth.
    5-            Lawrence, Yona (2010), Decision Making, Asghar Androodi's translation, Tehran: Circle.
    6-            Leslie, Jan (2012), Congenital Liars; Why We Can't Live Without Deceit, Translated by Mehdi Gharacheh Dagh, Tehran: Arrow
 
    7-            Burton, R.V. & Kunce, L. (1995), "Behavioral models of moral development: A brief history and integration", in William M. Kurtines, Jacob L. Gewirtz (eds.) Moral development: An introduction, 1995, pp. 141-171.
    8-            Evans, Angela D. and Lee, Kang (2013), Lying, Morality, and Development, in Killen and Smetana (eds.), Handbook of moral development, New York and London, Psychology press.
    9-            Haidt, Jonathan (2001), "The emotional dog and its rational tail: A social intuitionist approach to moral judgment", Psychological Review, 108, 2001, pp. 814-834
 
Quarterly Scientific Journal of Applied Ethics Studies
Volume 15, Issue 34 - Serial Number 56
Special Edition About Honesty
November 2019
Pages 125-153

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History

  • Receive Date: 05 July 2019
  • Revise Date: 23 August 2019
  • Accept Date: 09 October 2019

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