Is Breaking One's word the same as lying?

It's the same to me.

 

Well I think it's only lying if you have the intention of not keeping your word.

That being said, don't agree to that which you can't follow through on because people generally know what they will or will not do beforehand.

 

It's lying if the other person doesn't know from you that you've changed your mind and didn't explain why.
That's why I have troubles making promises, or I do it with a lot of thinking beforehand. 'Cause sometimes you don't have the slighlest idea of what you've got to do to keep it.

 

No. Lying is deliberately saying something that you know isn't true. If, when you said you would do something for someone, you intended to fulfill this deed but later didn't because you changed your mind or something prevented fulfillment, then you didn't lie because at the time you told the other person you would, you were convinced what that you said would be true. If however you just told this person that you would do something for them to get them to shut up without any intent at keeping your word, then yes. You lied.

 

It's not lying, but it is a breach of trust. I'd say it's generally immoral, but wouldn't classify it as lying.

 

It is a tough question, because say you promise to take out the garbage, and fully intend to do so, but then you forget/the phone rings/your house starts burning, etc. Then you didn`t lie because at the time you were assuming you would be able to take the trash out, and sometimes things happen which we cannot predict when making a promise. If you give your word that you are going to be there on someone`s special day, but then you are in a car crash, or the boss forces you to work extra hours, then that is not something you knew when making the promise.

So, it depends a lot on the scenario. If say, someone gave their word they wouldn`t reveal a secret, yet does it anyway, then that is completely under their control and it definitely becomes a breach of trust.

 

I would disagree. Its not immoral to change your mind on any subject as long as you were always being honest.

Lying, like a lot of people already mentioned, is all about the intent of what you are doing. If you are trying to fuck someone over or escape the truth, then whatever you are doing is lying. Changing your mind because you legitimately don't want to continue to go down a certain path isn't lying.

 

To me, it depends on your intent at the time you gave your word.

 

I agree with what others have said. As long as a person does not enter the agreement with the intent to back out of it, I don't think that it is lying. If the person knew that they were going to break that promise, then to me that is lying.

 

Oh, I guess I was thinking of it as breaking a promise intentionally. Not by accident.

To me intentionally breaking a promise is the same as lying because you are saying that you are going to do one thing and doing another instead.

 

No, i think it's more being untrustworthy.

 

It's lying. And untrustworthy. And disappointing. And stupid. And mean.

 

As another poster said, lying would be never intending to do what you said that you would. It might not be the same as lying but it hurts just as much.

 

yes, i would say so. You lied about doing something. I think it is more complicated because of the timing dynamics of it. Like you can never completely promise to do something in the future; the future is just too uncertain! But even then, it is still lying, but it is probably less bad than not speaking the truth about a past event!

I'm sure whoever this person that you have lied to will eventually be okay with it...

 

By definition, if you say you will do something, then intentionally not do it, you have lied (at least, it's a form of lie). It also tends to be worse, since at least with other kinds of lies, the other person can happily live without knowing any better, but in this case, you told them you'd do something, then chose not to. It's impossible to ignore; it's a direct insult really.

 

It is essentially the same thing. Don't do it.

 

Hey I didn't lie, the truth changed.

I had a manager who used to say that all the time. Used to piss me off when he would say that.

 

The acts are morally equivalent, but they are not the same. You are lying if you are breaking your word and you knew at the time that you would not follow through. You are breaking a promise if you did not know at the time that you would fail to deliver on the promise but you made no alternative arrangements, or unsatisfactory ones in between the time of promising and the expected delivery time with respect to unforeseen circumstances and how they affect your ability or willingness to deliver.

Both are bad, but they are still slightly different. One is lying, and the other is failure of diligence.