the creation of a machine that can tell with perfect accuracy whether or not someone is telling the truth.



Written in 1996, the story circulates around a young genius, who is driven through personal tragedy to create a machine that can tell with 100% accuracy whether or not someone is telling a lie. The story follows his life as he creates a huge multi-national co-operation and introduces the truth machine into civilization. As you can imagine, the introduction of such a machine on society has many impacts on the world as a whole, most of them being generally positive.



While the story goes into detail on the future of mankind if such a machine existed, it mainly centralizes around this one man and his impact on the world, and the way that impact reflects upon him. Reminiscent of George Orwell’s, 1984, The Truth Machine paints a picture of mankind’s near future, with a few writers fancies thrown in the mix.

the idea of a truth machine. The thought of it is very intriguing, and one not easy to think about. Who can say they've never told a lie? Who can say they will never tell a lie again? This books completely removes that from the equation, and lays bare that side of us that we all have, but rarely admit too. I enjoyed the idea of a world that is created in this book, and that is what kept me most intrigued throughout the entire hardback.

the optimism. Now, don't get me wrong, it's not that I was looking for a bleak story of government oppression by way of truth machines. I truly enjoyed the optimism at times, but at others times it was a bit too much.



I understand as a human race we could accomplish many things, if we could just get past many of our shortcomings. This book illustrates this, but sometimes goes a bit too far. Such as artificial wombs that mothers could have their babies grown in, instead of their own bodies, by 2048. A world government instilled by 2045, with weather control enacted shortly thereafter. It all seems to perfect, and beyond human nature at times.



Though, who’s to say it wouldn't be a perfectly ideal world if no one could tell a lie. I just couldn’t believe it would be as wonderful as this book portrays it.

create a truth machine. Too bad I don't have a photographic memory to help me in writing the computer code needed. :(

odd at times. The idea of never being able to lie doesn't seem like it would be all that impacting, but when you think about it, it’s extremely complicated. I compare thinking about a world where everyone told the truth, to thinking about space. The deeper you go, the more confused you get. This book did this to me, a lot.

it's an enjoyable read. The story is great, and the characters are believable. If you enjoy stepping back, and taking a look at what the world might become "If...", than this is the book for you.

snippet from the back of the book



September 2, 2002- Bosnian terrorists take responsibility for the fifteen-kiloton nuclear blast in downtown Belgrade that vaporized several city blocks; at least 100,000 casualties as estimated.



May 12, 2003- Phillip Morris, America's last surviving tobacco company, declares bankruptcy. The legal tobacco industry in the United States is now dead, a casualty of lower demand for cigarettes and mushrooming lawsuits from victims of smoke-related diseased.



May 6, 2006-The FDA approves Merck's new drug Exovir (generic name, retrocycline), a cure for AIDS, a disease that has killed more than three million Americans, and nearly 200 million worldwide.



August, 11, 2024-Statistics released by the FDA show obesity and other eating disorders have been drastically reduced in the United States. More than 90% o fall Americans are now within three pounds of their ideal weight, as a result of WeightPerfect, ATI's appetite-regulating arm=patch system.



August 12, 2049-A world-wide referendum to decide whether certain historical figures should be cloned is scheduled for September 17. Albert Einstein and Nelson Mandela are slated as the first two subjects.

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Created Aug 20, 2002 at 8:23am • Submit your own review...