Good post Mr. Little, funny and thought provoking as always.

I won't post a reply that long, maybe I'm lazy, maybe I am just too busy to write a good reply to the storyline. Which is true I will leave up to you to decide. Which brings me to what I think of truth.

I think truth is in the eye of the beholder. What one person holds for true might not be true for another. Even what most perceive as lies can be held for truth by a person. For example whether it is right or wrong to steal a car (which forms morality), or their self-esteem (how people think about themselves). Based on this you could say that lying cannot always be read because it is perceived to be the truth by that person.

LtCmdr Little spoke about 'gut' emotions, which is I believe your conscience if I understood him right. It is in my opinion made out of (past) emotions, reason (thought) and something inexplicable from the soul (or God as most people believe) that tells you what is right and wrong without experience. This complicated 'machine' helps us decide what is right and wrong, good and bad, truth and lies. As this machine is different from person to person, it is hard to find common grounds, what all people hold for truth. Which is why there are rules to prevent wars.

(But as we all know, there are wars since some people think their truth is worth more than the other's)

P.S. What if the researchers are reading from the screen (auto-cue) above the camera?
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Lt. Commander Peter Graham
Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Oriskany

I'm way too tired and debated out from the last 2-3 posts to give a lengthy reply, as well as just fininshing work. But I'll just say this. Truth is a figment of our imagination sometimes. Like when you tell your little sister her hamster (or other furry creature) is the same one as earlier in the day, even though you replaced it minutes before she came in from school after it died.

A lie is the same as truth depending on who's speaking.

P.S. Researchers may read from autocues, but the way in which their face looks up would be differant.
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Mr. McCloud

I really don't know what to add on this topic. To me, the truth is basically a proven fact. If you tell me the sky is blue, and I look up to see that it is, then that's the truth backed up by fact.

However if you're going to lie to me, then it's not going to be backed up by a proven fact. So chances are, I'm not going to believe you.
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Major General Rex Alderez
Fleet Marine Force Commandant, Gamma Fleet
SFMC, United Federation of Planets

An interesting point you brought Alderez, how do you know blue is blue? You only know blue is blue because someone told you that blue is called blue. Which is proof that truth can be forced on to people, like you said Little.

But what if you had some kind of 'malfunction' in your eyes from birth? Seeing blue as a different color. Then you would think that that color is blue (because the sky is 'blue') and you wouldn't even think differently about it for as long as you live.

So we're both right Little. I believe truth shall prevail though and even though people might think that what they hold for truth shall still exist, if they lie and know they lie, truth will come out eventually.
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Lt. Commander Peter Graham
Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Oriskany

There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
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Mr. McCloud

There is another theory which states that this has already happened.
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Mr. McCloud

There is a third theory which suggests that both of the first two theories were concocted by a wily editor of The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy in order to increase the universal level of uncertainty and paranoia and so boost the sales of the Guide. This last theory is of course the most convincing as The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy is the only book in the whole of the known universe to have the words DON'T PANIC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrases_from_The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy inscribed in large friendly letters on the cover.

As such. everything we have ever been told is a lie to us. We percieve everything we 'know' as the truth, but everything we've been told is truth, we were TOLD about by somebody else other than ourselves...

Truth = Lie = Opinion = Universe go boom... Again.
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Mr. McCloud

You guys got me totally confused. If I find out somebody lied to me, I kick their ass so they know not to do it again. That's one way to make sure they don't lie to you again!
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Lt. Commander Jared D'Shoua
Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Infiniti

Teehee! Little you got us all thinking in unexpected ways. To be honest I think someone would have come up with a sound theory about this universe long time ago and that since it hasn't gone -boom- must mean the universe isn't gonna change. Which is good because I like this universe.


You have a good point there D'Shoua (p.s. congratulations on your promotion). I believe that people lie because they are ashamed of the truth. If they know that if you find out the truth you are gonna 'kick their ass' then they are even more afraid to tell you the truth. I make sure that lying about the truth has worse consequences than telling the truth. And the truth shouldn't have consequences that are so terrible that truth is hidden due to fear/shame. But it is also living by example, if you are always honest, good chances are that people are honest to you as well. (thus building up trust)

I am thinking of changing the topic again, unless anyone has anything else to say... or if you have suggestions for new topics feel free to let me know.

Last chance to post untill further notice from now.
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Lt. Commander Peter Graham
Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Oriskany

What's the deal with the new ship on the forum called Singularity? Is it some kind of secret project in the works?
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Captain Treasar T. Adonis
Commanding Officer, USS Whitestar