LYING AND DECEPTION

Duration: 2022-2023
Code: CIGE/2021/160

Principal Investigator: Marc Artiga (UV)
Research Team: Javier González de Prado (UNED), Sergi Rosell (UV), Jordi Valor (UV)

SUMARY
Lying and deception lie at the center of many fundamental and fascinating philosophical questions. Although many philosophers have reflected on these phenomena (in this respect, the contributions of Agustin of Hippo are specially remarkable), contemporary research on this topic is comparatively recent and many central issues still remain hotly disputed. The main goal of this project is to provide new insights in our understanding of lying and deception and to analyse some of their connections to certain normative issues related to the nature of linguistic and moral norms.
The project is structured in two main modules:

Module 1: The Nature of Lying and Deception.
The goal of this module is to address questions concerning the nature of lying and deception. Prima facie, there seems to be a large overlap between the two phenomena. Most lies are deceptive, and humans tend to deceive by telling lies. Nonetheless, arguably the two phenomena remain distinct. Can one define lying and deception, in the sense of providing necessary and sufficient for these phenomena? What is the relationship between them? Can lying or deception be understood in terms of the other concept? What is the relationship between lying and deception and other phenomena like bullshit or gaslighting? The goal of the first module is to provide original answers to these and related questions.

Module 2: Normative aspects of Lying and Deception
One of the features that make research on lying and deception so complex and, at the same time, so interesting is the strong connections between these concepts and many other phenomena. From all of them, in this project we will explore their relationship to certain normative issues. In particular, a better understanding of lying and deception is tightly connected with certain key issues on the nature of linguistic and moral norms. 

Funded by Generalitat Valenciana – Conselleria d’Innovació, Universitats, Ciència i Societat Digital.