@nameless,
Dewey wrote:Didymos, if I understand you correctly (and you understood me correctly), you would judge the retailers' conduct immoral because of their lying regardless of whether or not it leads to monetary losses by the unknowing customers.
Yes.
Dewey wrote:Under the conditions I have assumed, there seems to be only one unfair pecuniary consequence. The retailers advertising the fake discounts would draw away regular customers of the legitimate retailers. The bad guys would profit unfairly at the expense of the good guys. Is that your basis for condemning these liars? If not that, what? Some non-pecuniary misbehavior, perhaps?
No, that is not my basis. My basis is this: the retailers in question acted out of profit motive, they acted in a way that is intended to make themselves more money, they acted in a selfish manner. Even if their actions harmed no one else, their actions harm themselves. And so their actions are, if not immoral, at the very least contrary to goodness.
Morality is about motive, justice is about consequence. Their actions are also unjust because they use deceit to harm others. Their actions are immoral because they acted out of pure self interests, and with disregard for others and for themselves.
