Lie

A lie is a statement, written words, or other communication that one person conveys to another or to a group while knowing that the information is false and intending for the listener to accept it as true. What makes something a lie is not merely that the information is incorrect, but also the intent: the person knows or suspects the truth and has chosen to conceal it.

A lie is distinguished from an error. A person who presents false information while believing it to be true has made a mistake, not told a lie. For this reason, determining whether something is a lie depends on the knowledge and intention of the speaker, which can be difficult to assess from outside. In Somali, a person who frequently lies is called a 'beenlow' or 'beenaale'.

Definition and criteria

Philosophy commonly proposes four conditions for a lie: (1) the person makes a statement; (2) he believes that statement is not true; (3) he makes it to another person; (4) he intends to make the listener believe it. Some philosophers dispute the fourth condition, giving examples of lies that are clearly lies even when both parties are aware of the deception.

Types

Lies take various forms. An omission lie (a concealed lie) occurs when someone fails to provide important information while their statement is partly true but misleading overall. An exaggeration lie occurs when a number or condition is magnified or understated. There also exist social lies, told to spare another's feelings, and selfish lies, told for personal gain. A compound lie refers to one that builds on an earlier lie.

Legal and religious aspects

Many legal systems punish certain lies told in official settings, such as perjury before a court or false statements in official documents. In such cases the lie affects the administration of justice and is therefore treated as a crime. The major religions, including Islam, regard lying as a prohibited practice and describe it as something that corrupts social trust.

Psychology and research

Psychology investigates why people lie: to avoid punishment, to gain financial advantage, to protect reputation, and to prevent social harm. Tools such as the polygraph test measure physiological changes (heart rate, breathing, perspiration) associated with anxiety, not lying itself; for this reason their results are highly disputed, and many countries' courts do not accept them.