Hypocrisy and self-deception

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

Hypocrites are generally regarded as morally-corrupt, cynical egoists who consciously and deliberately deceive others in order to further their own interests. The purpose of my essay is to present a different view. I argue that hypocrisy typically involves or leads to self-deception and, therefore, that real hypocrites are hard to find. One reason for this merging of hypocrisy into self-deception is that a consistent and conscious deception of society is self-defeating from the point of view of egoistical hypocrites. The best way for them to achieve their ends would be to believe in the deception, thereby not only deceiving others but also themselves. If my thesis is sound, we ought to be more cautious in ascribing hypocrisy to people, and less harsh in our attitude toward hypocrites.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)57-75
Number of pages19
JournalPhilosophical Psychology
Volume10
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1997
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Applied Psychology
  • Philosophy

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Hypocrisy and self-deception'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this