Do Lie Detectors Support Objectivism?

[determinist]

Be sure to understand this post is intended as food for thought rather than an assertion.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that Objectivism maintains that lies and neuroticism goes together, and that Aristotle had it right when he said "The best way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be." It holds that running from reality or pretending to be something you are not can give feelings of fear/fraudulence.

Think about lie detectors. Yes, polygraphs are inadmissible evidence in courts, but from what I understand, they have a strong tendency to be right. Again, correct me if I am wrong, but the explanation for lie detectors is simple: the subject lying has an increased heart rate while making a false statement.

Is the heart rate increased because the act of lying causes anxiety? Is anxiety not a form of neurosis? Does hiding the facts of objective reality cause neuroses, and is this supported by lie detectors?

[whYNOT]

Be sure to understand this post is intended as food for thought rather than an assertion.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that Objectivism maintains that lies and neuroticism goes together, and that Aristotle had it right when he said "The best way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be." It holds that running from reality or pretending to be something you are not can give feelings of fear/fraudulence.

Think about lie detectors. Yes, polygraphs are inadmissible evidence in courts, but from what I understand, they have a strong tendency to be right. Again, correct me if I am wrong, but the explanation for lie detectors is simple: the subject lying has an increased heart rate while making a false statement.

Is the heart rate increased because the act of lying causes anxiety? Is anxiety not a form of neurosis? Does hiding the facts of objective reality cause neuroses, and is this supported by lie detectors?

The quote is food for thought. I don't know if you're not misreading it. Aristotle is patently not prescibing

living a lie, I believe. If it was written, "...is to BECOME, what we pretend to be." Would that make more sense?

Lost in translation, perhaps? It makes sense this way.

The O'ist indictment of falsehood, is primarily a moral one - preceding psychological neuroticism.

Rational selfishness holds that lies are a 'faking of reality' to oneself, so, immoral.

Polygraphs? I've no idea if they're ethical Objectively - but your connection is faintly reminiscent of Scientology, and 'e-meters', or whatever they are called.

Edited January 3, 2012 by whYNOT

[Spiral Architect]

An interesting question to chew on. I'd say that the anxiety a lie detector picks up doesn't validate the Objectivist principle as a moral value, but does offer insight in the emotional consequences of accepting a value then failing to keep it. It shows the emotional reactions that a value can produce, in this case a negative when the individual abandoned it. It is a minor demonstration that emotions proceed from values and our evaluation of them.

[softwareNerd]

Polygraphs? I've no idea if they're ethical Objectively - but your connection is faintly reminiscent of Scientology, and 'e-meters', or whatever they are called.

The OP is saying that Objectivism suggests lying causing anxiety in the liar. He point out that polygraphs measure anxiety in order to deduce a lie. Thus if we have evidence that polygraphs work, it could be evidence that lying causes anxiety.

[whYNOT]

Yes, though the link between anxiety and neurosis, is specious I think.

It goes without saying that being polygraphed for lies one has commited, would cause elevated pulse rate.

The response is guilt-induced, limited to the test itself.

So it is not the lie causing the anxiety - directly - but the fear of being found out.

Don't you agree?

The causes of neurosis are deeper and varied, to my knowledge.