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Emily comments on Not Technically Lying - Less Wrong
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I would be interested to see what people think of some other options:
4) "I'll tell you later." [Fails to answer the question; is neither a Technical Lie nor actively misleading; may lead the patient to believe it's a painkiller or similar anyway]
5) "I'm doing everything I can to help you; please don't distract me." [True statement and a request; may lead the patient to believe it's a painkiller or similar anyway]
6) "It's a 300-osmolarity isotonic solution of chloridated alkali metal." [Technobabble; the average patient will have no clue what this means. Unless I'm misusing chemical terms found on Wikipedia, it's completely accurate. Will probably discourage further questions, especially if stated rapid-fire in a curt tone.]
If I were the patient, I imagine I would shut up and be (relatively) content with 5, but would be royally pissed off with the doctor for saying either 4 or 6. Unless I were very seriously intimidated, I think I would be extremely likely to follow up 4 with "Why can't you tell me now?" and 6 with "But what is it for?"
If I were the patient, I imagine I would interpret both 4 and 6 to mean 5, and then cease distracting the doctor from helping me.
But that could just be my imagination.