Colton's mother said, "Colton, you lied to me this afternoon when you said you were at school." Colton responded, "Mom, you didn't ask me whether I was at school, you asked me if I was able to talk to my friends about the Universal Studios trip." I talked to them; I just didn't talk to them at school. You didn't ask the right question." Which of the following describes Colton's response?
A) There was no ethical issue because he answered truthfully.
B) Colton was using a rationalization.
C) We are not required to volunteer information if the question is not phrased correctly.
D) Colton follows a standard of virtue ethics.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Colton's response seems to be a rationalization, as he is trying to justify his lie by arguing that his mother did not ask the right question. While it may be technically true that she did not ask whether he was at school, Colton still deliberately misled his mother by not telling her that he did not go to school. This behavior goes against ethical principles such as honesty and integrity.

Colton's Mother Said, "Colton, You Lied to Me This Afternoon