Would the world be a better place if it was impossible for humans to lie?

Question: Would the world be a better place if it was impossible for humans to lie!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

If you think about what a lie is, then no it wouldn't be better!. A lie is basically the realization that the truth will lead to a negative consequence!. This requires and understanding of future consequence coupled with the understanding of other peoples thought processes (to a limitted extent)!. When a husband is asked by his wife if her *** looks big, he quickly assesses her potential hurt feelings!.!.!.!. and the potential for how that will then impact upon him negatively!. Both empathy and logic are at play, and quickly the husband lies!.

Humans without the capacity to lie would then have to be without the capacities that enable us to lie!. Basically empathy, and understanding of logical cause and effect!. We could not be human, nor intelligent without at least the capacity to lie!.

Now if you mean a world where people just don't lie!.!.!.!.!. where the action of lying is deemed monstrous!.!.!.!.!. then yes, the world would be better!. It would be more honest (obviously), most religions would end pretty quickly, and we would be able to trust other people when they make an outrageous claim!. We would be able to get at accurate data constantly and consistently without road blocks of distrust, and the lies themselves!.

It would also have the side effect of having people speak much less, and think about their words more carefully!. Where a person would currently lie, they would have to remain silent or tell the truth!.!.!.!. and IMO many would remain silent about many things!. When speach is less frequent it is also more important!.!.!.!.!. and people would listen more intently to others!. If I were to tell you that you deeply hurt me, I wouldn't have the benefit of thinking you were exagherating or just trying to garner sympathy!.!.!.!.!.!. I would have to acknowledge that this is true because otherwise you would not have said it!. That would be a very powerful role given to words that we now take very much for granted!. It would be nice, but no intelligent species would be incapable of lying unless they were telepathic and thought was transfered without consent (which would suck)!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well, take into consideration the benefits and drawbacks of such a world!.

Jurisprudence would be a cinch, since police would only have to arrest people who confess to committing crimes, and they would always plead guilty!.

But if people still have sensitive egos, it will be impossible to avoid hurting another's feelings if you are ever asked to give your opinion of someone and that opinion is one of disfavor, aversion, hatred, etc!.

Just given these considerations, is a world where some husbands actually call their fat wives fat, but where the innocent are never convicted of crimes, a better world in your view!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

there are good lies! 2 friends of my mom,sisters, got sick one after the other, the first in the hospital was i bad condition and when her sister was admitted as sick in bad condition too no one told her(the first one) that her sis was also in the hospital!. the first one died without knowing that her sister was even sick, relative kept saying she had issues at work abroad but she was coming to see her, eventually the second died and was also not said that the first one had died!. it was a situation on one week and it ended very fast and none of them got to know that my sis died !.!.!.!.for a good reason since they were in bad shape at the hospital!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

This is a pretty good question!.
I think we always lie, i mean every day, but we usually don't realize it, because they're white lies and don't do any harm to anybody!.
If we think of 'real' lies, if they hadn't existed, i think we would suffer less, but suffering is essential to become stronger in our lives as they help us to get through certain things, so i think we progress by them!.
But if you look around you, you will see that lies are everywhere!.!.!. It's hard sometimes not to lie, but it's never the best way to solve a situation!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

it depends on the people themselves (how they react to the truth)!. no white lies would make the world better!. but the bigger lies/truths are more painful!. the truth doesnt always lead you to happiness!. sometimes we're better off not knowing things!.

plus, if people cant lie, they should probably change their behavior too!. meaning, their reactions to the truths might change!. they may not care at all or be too emotional!.

anyway, as for me, the world is still evil, with or w/out lies!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

what, to you, does 'better' mean!?

lesser crimes!?
more harmonious relations!?
higher technology!?
more religons!?
lesser religons!?
more love!? less love!? no need for love!?

"better" holds different meaning to different people!. Some may like it, some may notWww@QuestionHome@Com

Lying is a tool of free will!.
Consider the advantages for everyone in your household if, when the Nazis come to the door, you are free to say, "No, officer, there are no Jews in my attic!."
Compulsive truth-telling is overrated!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yes, I believe it would be!. The inability to falsely report our thoughts and actions would motivate personal improvement in both of these areas!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

well, George Bush would not say "I have a plan" It would be really hard for elections because very few politicians speak their true beliefs!. They usually say what is popular so they get elected!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

YES!. !. !. oops I lied !. !. !.no!. !. !.that would cut out all the little white lies we have to tell everyday!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The samuri's have a saying that goes something like "A good man will tell you 7 lies within 100 steps" it took me awhile but I finally understood!.!.!.!.so no I don't think it wouldWww@QuestionHome@Com

100,000,000 neurons and 1,000,000,000,000 glia can't be strictured into predictability!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

White lies grease the social playing field!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yes i think it would make more people emotionally stronger!!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

No, it will be more painful!.Www@QuestionHome@Com