5 Answers

  1. Technically not. Although sometimes there are opinions that silence is a “passive lie”, nevertheless, if we rely on the definition-a lie is a deliberate distortion of the truth, misleading, untruth.�

    If suddenly someone said “not all” the truth from the information known to them (if we also assume that a person can know “all” the truth), this is not a lie, but what it is: a part of the truth without distortion. Just not all of it.

  2. Withholding information is a neutral position for the false, true states.

    The silent person can make any decision on the future – to tell the truth or lie.

  3. In the understanding of lie recognition specialists, omission is a form of lying. Let's first understand what lies are, and why experts have this approach.

    Lying is a deliberate communication technique of omitting, distorting or denying important information, the purpose of which is to obtain benefits – advantages, or avoid punishment-negative consequences.

    The liar has some important information for the victim. It can be a crime, a negative act, infidelity, the presence of a bad habit, etc. For the victim of a lie, disclosure of this information is important, because it will entail some kind of response, change or breakup of relationships, punishment.

    The liar is well aware that this information is important. For example, a husband cheated on his wife and doesn't tell her about it? Is it a lie? Yes. After all, he has an intention to hide this information, regardless of whether she asks him about it or not.

    Also a criminal who does not report his crime. A careless job candidate does not report the true reason for dismissal.

    Why is this approach correct? Because intent, awareness of negative consequences, and punishment affect the liar's behavior change. It is primarily controlled by stress, anxiety, excitement, fear, and the threat of punishment.

    It doesn't matter if they ask him about this information or not. In both cases, there is an intention to hide it. And lie recognition specialists, including profilers and polygraph examiners, record the influence of emotions in the physiology, gestures, facial expressions, and content of speech.

    Therefore, deliberately omitting important information is just as much a lie as misrepresenting it in response to a direct question.

  4. Yes and no. It all depends on the situation and perception of the person to whom I am lying.

    If a person perceives silence, not as a lack of response or information, but as a signal with a specific meaning, and the silent person knows this, silence will be a lie.

  5. Let's see the definition in the Wikipedia article

    A lie is a deliberate distortion of the truth, expressed in order to mislead someone

    Wikipedia

    What is the most important thing about this definition? “…expressed for the purpose of misleading someone.” That is, everything that deliberately misleads someone is considered a lie. And the omission of information misleads someone, because it is deliberate. So this is a lie?

    No. We see a “distortion of the truth”, and you can only distort the truth by offering another” truth ” instead of the real one. But with the silence of the “truth” there is no.

    This means that the omission of information is not a lie.

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