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Not Technically A Lie

Edited by Vladimir_Nesov, Grognor, et al. last updated 29th Feb 2012

A statement that is literally true, but causes the listener to attain false beliefs by performing incorrect inference, is not technically a lie. Since the purpose of communication is to transfer beliefs to the other person's mind, there is little practical distinction between lying and not technically lying. Depending on circumstances, one may be preferable to another, but only by a slim margin. A weapon of dark arts, or an attire for someone identifying with truth-telling.

Blog posts

  • The Bottom Line
  • Entangled Truths, Contagious Lies
  • Not Technically Lying by Psychohistorian
  • Lies and Secrets by steven0461

See also

  • Epistemic rationality
  • Dark arts, Filtered evidence
  • Belief as attire
  • Rationalization
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