In English a white lie means a lie of good intention. But whether people

should tell a white lie remains controversial. A case in point is that whether

the doctor should inform the patient about the true condition of his illness

when he is suffering an incurable disease. Just as shown in the picture, the

doctor is now caught in a dilemma. He can’t decide whether he should tell or

conceal the patient’s serious condition.

Some people hold that telling patients about their true conditions may

risk destroying their hope, which may make the illness even worse. So it’s

better to tell the patient a white lie. People against this view argue that

a while lie is after all a lie. The patients should be informed of their

condition since it is their legal right to know the truth of the fact.

Lies have been recognized as a synonym for cheating and hypocrisy and

liars are often held in contempt. However, sometimes we need lies in real

life, because a white lie can give one comfort and encouragement. If a

seriously ill patient, on hearing your while lie, can refresh himself to

fight against the illness, don’t you think your lie is meaningful?