---
title: Your cousin says, "Kant said lying is always wrong, so everyone agre… — Dilemmas about truth and friendship · tree and pragmatics
description: Your cousin says, "Kant said lying is always wrong, so everyone agrees on the murderer at the door." What is wrong with this? Test 12 · ★★ of lesson 41 «Dilemmas about truth and friendship» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the questio
---

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# Test 12 · ★★ · Dilemmas about truth and friendship

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your cousin says, "Kant said lying is always wrong, so everyone agrees on the murderer at the door." What is wrong with this?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** cousin, Kant, everyone · **What happens:** say, lie, be, agree · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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This is test 12 · ★★ of lesson 41 «Dilemmas about truth and friendship» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school. The page gives the question's syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause, then the 4 options as the student saw them, each with its tree and pragmatics. Every text is parsed by Mova itself. How the student answered it, with the score of every option and why: [the test at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/religion-ethics/41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship/#t12).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Your cousin says, "Kant said lying is always wrong, so everyone agrees on the murderer at the door."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship:t12:1
# text = Your cousin says, "Kant said lying is always wrong, so everyone agrees on the murderer at the door."
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Kant	Kant	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
8	lying	lie	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	11	advmod	_	_
11	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	so	so	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
14	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	15	nsubj	_	_
15	agrees	agree	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
16	on	on	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	murderer	murderer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
19	at	at	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Your cousin |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | Kant |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **lie** *in a quote* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is** *in a quote* | present |  |  |  |  |  | always, wrong *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **agree** *speech: agree* *in a quote* | present | everyone |  |  |  |  | at the door; on the murderer | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.theme S»: agent=Agent on murderer=Topic |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What is wrong with this?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship:t12:2
# text = What is wrong with this?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with this; wrong *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kant said lying is always right, which is the opposite

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship:t12:o1:1
# text = Kant said lying is always right, which is the opposite
1	Kant	Kant	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	lying	lie	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	6	advmod	_	_
6	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	opposite	opposite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Kant |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **lie** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | always, right *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **is a** | present |  | the opposite |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kant never wrote about lying, so the cousin made it up

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship:t12:o2:1
# text = Kant never wrote about lying, so the cousin made it up
1	Kant	Kant	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	about	about	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	lying	lie	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	up	up	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **write** | past | Kant |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **lie** | gerund | Kant *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **make up** | past | the cousin | it |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme it=Pivot |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nothing is wrong, everyone agrees with Kant about this puzzle

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship:t12:o3:1
# text = Nothing is wrong, everyone agrees with Kant about this puzzle
1	Nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	6	nsubj	_	_
6	agrees	agree	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	Kant	Kant	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
9	about	about	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	11	det	_	_
11	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Nothing |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **agree** *speech: agree* | present | everyone |  |  |  |  | with Kant; about this puzzle | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.co-agent PP.theme whether S»: agent=Agent with kant=Co-Agent about puzzle=Topic |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kant held that, but most people think the lie is allowed

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship:t12:o4:1
# text = Kant held that, but most people think the lie is allowed
1	Kant	Kant	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	most	most	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	7	amod	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	think	think	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	lie	lie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	allowed	allow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | past | Kant | that |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent that=Theme |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | present | most people |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **allow** | present · passive |  | the lie |  |  |  |  | vn allow-64.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Beneficiary |

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**Text:** the tests of Mova's primary school, written for Mova (`world/data/school/`), as the course runner gave them to the student. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each text read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

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