The veil of philanthropy: Kant on the political benefits of

dissimulation and simulation

Jeffrey Church

First Published January 8, 2018 Research Article

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Abstract

Kant has traditionally been read as an excessively moralistic critic of lying in

his ethics and politics. In response, recent scholars have noted that for Kant
we have an ethical duty not to be completely candid, but rather we should
practice reticence and simulate virtues even when we do not have them. This
article argues that Kant extends the value of dissimulation and simulation
beyond the interpersonal to society and politics. By examining three
examples—politeness and decorum in society, and the veiled relationships
between the rich and the poor and between government and the people in
politics—this article further challenges the received reading of Kant as a
defender of truth at all costs and reveals him to be much more attentive to
the need for pretense, reserve, and appearance than is commonly
understood.

Keywords Immanuel Kant, lying, manners, transparency

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