Is it easier to cheat now than ever? In episode 177 of Overthink, Ellie and David talk about cheating. From micro-cheating on your girlfriend to doping in sports, cheating appears to have escalated in various domains. Your hosts explain the relationship between cheating and rule-breaking, then question norms surrounding cheating in romantic relationships. Why is cheating considered the ultimate dealbreaker? Is it always dishonest? Finally, they address the rise of generative AI cheating in schools and the ethical numbing that promotes it. How is ChatGPT different from using a calculator? And has it become rational for students to cheat? In the Substack Bonus Segment, Ellie and David question whether we should even use the word ‘cheating’ for romantic relationships rather than infidelity.

Works Discussed:

Stuart Green, “Cheating”

Natasha McKeever, “Is the Requirement of Sexual Exclusivity Consistent with Romantic Love?”

Deborah Rhode, Cheating: Ethics in Everyday Life

James D. Walsh, “Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College”

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