what do you think of the argument that suggests that ethics are fluid- they should not be applied re

what do you think of the argument that suggests that ethics are fluid- they should not be applied retroactively – rather, they should be applied at the time of action– not on the results A lie is a false statement with the intent to deceive — does it matter if the intent was to do the “right” thing in a challenging situation? If a person lies to a boss to protect a co-worker, who was taking a sick child to the Dr, for example Should the lie be based on the intent — the consequences — or the level of deception? Does it matter? Thoughts?