Bad Faith

[noun]

Definition:

Bad faith refers to a person’s deliberate dishonesty or lack of sincerity in their words, actions, or intentions. It involves acting with the knowledge of one’s deception while disguising it as genuine or truthful behavior.

Subcategories of Bad Faith

1. Legal

Legal bad faith occurs when a person intentionally violates their legal obligations, such as breaching a contract or engaging in fraudulent activities while pretending to act in good faith.

2. Moral

Moral bad faith pertains to an individual’s intentional disregard of ethical principles or values by acting hypocritically or with a lack of integrity.

3. Existential

Existential bad faith describes the concept introduced by philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. It refers to an individual living inauthentically, denying their freedom and responsibility by adopting predefined roles and societal expectations.

Characteristics of Bad Faith

• Dishonesty: Bad faith involves intentional deception or dishonesty in thoughts, actions, or speech.
• Lack of Sincerity: It is characterized by a lack of genuine belief in the presented ideas, promises, or intentions.
• Awareness: The person engaging in bad faith is typically conscious of their dishonesty and chooses to deceive others.
• Intent to Deceive: Bad faith implies purposeful deception with the aim to mislead, manipulate, or gain an unfair advantage.
• Contradiction: It often involves contradictions between one’s professed beliefs or values and their actual words or actions.