Telling a lie to someone who doesn't deserve the truth is not a lie according to Ethical Formalism.

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Ethical Formalism is a theory in ethics that states that the rightness or wrongness of an action is determined solely by its adherence to a set of rules or principles, regardless of the consequences of the action. In this case, the rule is that it is wrong to lie. However, Ethical Formalism also holds that there are exceptions to this rule, such as when lying is necessary to prevent harm to someone. In this case, lying to someone who doesn't deserve the truth is not considered a lie because it is necessary to prevent harm to the person who is being lied to.

Telling a Lie to Someone Who Doesn't Deserve the Truth