The truth machine

What Hacker News says

1. tony69Sep 2026
   The Truth Machine is a great sci-fi novel exploring this topic (https://coins.ha.com/information/ttm.s)
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2. polski-gMar 2023
   There is an amazing novel called The Truth Machine by James L Halperin that speaks about this.
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3. wildermuthnMar 2021
   A lie-detector that works is a trillion-dollar business. A great sci-fi novel that explores the implications of an accurate lie-detector is "The Truth Machine".

   I've given a lot of thought to this topic over the years, and have concluded that the way to tackle this problem is indirectly. The problem with "truth" is that it is subjective. There is a better metric to judge: "false-confidence". There is a subtle but distinct difference between a lie and false-confidence. A lie is subjective, being a mismatch between what I believe and what is true. But false-confidence is objective, in that what I believe (regardless of the truth of what I believe) may not match what I assert. We can never know, objectively, if a person is speaking the truth. But we can know, objectively, if a person is speaking with false-confidence.

   This might seem like semantics, but focusing on "false-confidence" rather than "truth" is quite helpful in highlighting the real problem that is being solved: communication.

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4. wmeredithJun 2020
   The Truth Machine by James Halperin

   This is mediocre book with an absolutely jaw dropping concept at its core. It's worth reading for all involved with building technology.

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5. mileswardJul 2017
   Read "Truth Machine" by Halperin. Might have broader than intended consequences.
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6. nkwJul 2015
   Interesting article. If anyone hasn't read it, James Halperin's Truth Machine (1997) is still one of my favorite books. It is an interesting take on technology which can reliably determine veracity and what could happen if it has a backdoor.
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