Design a new technological gadget

[john8pies]

with all the advances being made at a phenomenal rate in science and technology, what one thing do you think governments should concentrate on developing to improve citizens` lives?

I`m going to go for a strange choice, I`d like to see them develop and infallible lie detector. Then when suspects are caught, we could do away with all the false alibis and lies, they just get wired up to the detector (which is so futuristic it can even tell between lying and worried perspiration, etc) and the cops question them. If they are telling the truth, they get off. If they are lying, the detector machine immediately spots it and they then get asked the question again until they tell the truth. When they finally admit it, they can be sentenced without the need for lengthy court cases, expensive lawyers, plea bargaining, etc etc.

Any comments (i`d particularly value yours, LadyCop!)

[gmc]

So you want to give more power to the state? It's a fundamental tenet of our freedom that you are innocent until proven guilty i.e. the accuser has to prove the case not the accused his innocence. For the same reason authorities are not allowed to use torture or beat confessions out of people for the simple reason that you can get confessions for anything from anyone if you torture them, very few can stand up to it.

It is a myth that just because someone is accused they must be guilty. It is also a myth that the police never make mistakes. It is also a myth that this kind of technology is infallible and that would not be open to abuse in the future.

Power and authority over us is something we give to governments for a time it is not something they have a right to. Every time someone tells you a change to our fundamental freedoms is necessary for our own good just remember they know no better than you and just because they want more power does not mean they should have it.

[polycarp]

john8pies wrote: with all the advances being made at a phenomenal rate in science and technology, what one thing do you think governments should concentrate on developing to improve citizens` lives?

I`m going to go for a strange choice, I`d like to see them develop and infallible lie detector. Then when suspects are caught, we could do away with all the false alibis and lies, they just get wired up to the detector (which is so futuristic it can even tell between lying and worried perspiration, etc) and the cops question them. If they are telling the truth, they get off. If they are lying, the detector machine immediately spots it and they then get asked the question again until they tell the truth. When they finally admit it, they can be sentenced without the need for lengthy court cases, expensive lawyers, plea bargaining, etc etc.

Any comments (i`d particularly value yours, LadyCop!)




That sounds interesting but rather difficult to achieve. The human mind is complex and hard to be read mechanically, so results from a lie detector machine can only be based on conjectures and deductive reasoning like pulse rate, extent of sweating, compusure etc when a person is being questioned. The difficulty of the reliability of a lie detector machine hinges on the fact that people respond differently to the same stimulus. Some sweat when telling the truth while others sweat when not telling the truth. Some people have high puilse rate when they lie and the opposite applies to others. I am not completely pessimistic about your idea but I sure know how complex it may be to achieve it.

[lady cop]

well the premise John proposes is an INFALLIBLE lie detector, impossible of course. there is a reason polygraph results are inadmissable in court. people LOVE to confess. when they do confess we don't leave it at that, we need evidence to go to indictment or trial. that being said---the concept of a perfect lie detector. hmmmmm, that would be nice, but only as a tool. i would still need evidence. i have had people confess murder to me, but i still want the hard evidence. an example---a woman beats her grandma to death with a hammer. (true story) she confesses to me. but i STILL take her footprints in plaster of paris since her bloody footprints were all over the scene. i want to be able to PROVE my case. and i did. she's doing 20 years.

[polycarp]

lady cop wrote: well the premise John proposes is an INFALLIBLE lie detector, impossible of course. there is a reason polygraph results are inadmissable in court. people LOVE to confess. when they do confess we don't leave it at that, we need evidence to go to indictment or trial. that being said---the concept of a perfect lie detector. hmmmmm, that would be nice, but only as a tool. i would still need evidence. i have had people confess murder to me, but i still want the hard evidence. an example---a woman beats her grandma to death with a hammer. (true story) she confesses to me. but i STILL take her footprints in plaster of paris since her bloody footprints were all over the scene. i want to be able to PROVE my case. and i did. she's doing 20 years.


That's why you're the best cop I know and also my favorite :yh_worshp .