to lie or not to lie! that is the question!!

Last week in cm 1145 we were given the task to choose from a handful of essays in our book and answer questions about the essay. It wasn't even half as dreadful as I thought it would be because for once a couple of the essays were actually interesting! One essay in particular really made me think, its a question that has pondered my time many time before, I could spend hours trying to come up with an answer to the question " to lie or not to lie?" Ever since we were born we have been taught to always tell the truth no matter what and that lying is bad, you should NEVER lie. Is there any exception to these rules??

This essay in titled  " To lie or not to lie" talk about the life changing decision thats have to me made by doctors and the dilemma they face when it comes to telling a patient the truth about there conditions, possibly leaving them in depressed, disappointed  or lying to protect them from the truth. There is two ways  to view this situation, what confuses me is that i understand and can relate to both sides with makes it difficult to choose what side i'm on. 

Doctors who choose to lie to their patients about there health believe that the seriously ill do not want to know the truth about their condition. Some believe that informing them of the devastating truth can destroy their hopes and possibly recover more slowly or deteriorate faster. Suicide is also  possibility for patients who are waiting to die. When looking at it from this point of view I'm sure most people would agree with doctors. If protecting someone from the truth could better their health and keep their hopes up then in this case lying could be the best policy. 

On the other hand other people believe that sick patient especially dying patients deserve to know the everything about their own well being. If someone only had a few months to live I'm sure they would like to do everything they ever wanted to do in their life within this few months. They get to decide how they end their life and maybe get a chance to say goodbye to the people they love. When a doctor lies to a patient it can also damage the doctors reputation. 

Although I understand both point of views I think I'm join to have to listen to what my parents have taught me , honesty is the best policy. Everyone should have the right to know the full extent of their conditions. It is not up to a doctor to decide what you should or shouldn't know . If i were the one who was ill I would want to know everything about my condition wether it be good or bad. It isn't fun to be lied to especially when it come to your well being or ever more important... your life.