Talk:Lie detection

Ability Naming Conventions
The following sources are used for determining evolved human ability names, in order:
1. Canon Sources	Episodes
2. Near-canon Sources	Webisodes, Graphic Novels, iStories, Heroes Evolutions
3. Secondary Sources	Episode commentary, Interviews, Heroes: Survival
4. Common names for abilities	Names from other works
5. Descriptions of abilities	Descriptions
6. Possessor's name	If no non-speculative description is possible
Note: The highlighted row represents the level of the source used to determine lie detection's name.
Source/Explanation
Sylar referred to Sue as a "lie detector" (Our Father).

Renaming?

• I thought that Intuitive polygraphy would fit. But for now, "human lie detector" is the best choice since that is what Sylar called it. Mike 22:25, 8 December 2008 (EST)
  • Are you sure he didn't call Sue a human lie detector? Sorry, I missed the first half hour of the episode, so I wouldn't know. Sincerely, Thrashmeister [ U | T | C ] 22:26, 8 December 2008 (EST)
    • That is exactly what I said. Mike 22:28, 8 December 2008 (EST)
      • That would be nice, but didn't Sylar say something along the lines as "Lie detector/detection"? If so, according to the naiming convention the context of the episode would outrank anything else. However, if he didn't then I'm all for it.--OutbackZack 22:34, 8 December 2008 (EST)OutbackZack
      • Nope, you said Sylar called it, referring to the ability itself, "human lie detector." Sincerely, Thrashmeister [ U | T | C ] 22:34, 8 December 2008 (EST)
        • Whatever. I remember him saying something along the lines of "What you can do... Human lie detector... Must make it hard to trust anyone." In essence he was referring to both Sue and her ability. Mike 23:30, 8 December 2008 (EST)
          • We've heard Nathan's power referred to as Human flight potential, yet we named the page Flight. Kinda the same case here. Psilaq Remake 18:35, 9 December 2008 (EST)
            • I think the name "lie detection" is fine as it is. -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 18:41, 9 December 2008 (EST)
        • As do I. I actually don't see any issue with the naming of this ability; lie detection seems perfect for it.--FlamingTomDude 00:28, 10 December 2008 (EST)
• I also believe that the name should be changed though to something along the lines of Pulse Detection. I say this because in Duel, Sylar was able to get the same kind of feeling when he told Clair something that made her nervous or fearful, which would increase her pulse, so the power may make someone a human heart rate monitor.
  • That's completely speculative. Plus, there are people that can trick things such as polygraphs that rely on physiology to determine if a person is lying, if they have a strong enough mind and believe their lie enough to tell it. Sylar's lie detection is all-knowing; as far as we know, it can detect all spoken lies. Which it wouldn't be able to do if it relied on pulse detection. Sincerely, Thrashmeister [ U | T | C ] 22:19, 18 December 2008 (EST)

Limits?

Could this power detect only when someone is knowingly stating something false (intentionally lying) or when they are unknowingly stating something false (unintentionally not telling the truth) or both or anything else? Could this power be used to detect (discern) the differences? For example, what if (hypothetically) Arthur falsely (erroneously), but truly believed himself to be Sylar's father, but actually wasn't. What say you? -- prander 11:28, 9 December 2008 (EST)

• I think you are asking the following: If Person A knew something to be the truth, but said fact was actually false, what would this power read? I think the power would read it as truth, because I think it's based on the bodily tell-tale sings of lying --SacValleyDweller (talk) 11:39, 9 December 2008 (EST)
  • Yeah, basically. Or could this power detect the differences, could it be used to detect when someone is intentionally lying as opposed to when someone is unintentionally not telling the truth (Person A)? -- prander 13:31, 9 December 2008 (EST)
    • Not telling the truth could be omitting, you think she's able to detect that as well? Intuitive Empath - Talk - Contributions 13:53, 9 December 2008 (EST)