Truth and Justice - Truth Serum NOT!!!

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 68801

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Robert A. Rosenberg"
<rarpsl at o...> wrote:

> Bob:
> 
> There is a difference between being involuntarily given Veritaserum 
> and being allowed to take it so as to present evidence of your 
> innocence. You are equating the former with the latter.
> 

bboy_mn now replies:
In general I agree with the main points you are making. Just because
someone can't be forced to take truth serum or a lie detector test
doesn't mean they can't volunteer. The use of the information obtained
by these means is useful for investigative purposes, but is still
extremely limited in it use as actual evidence.



> > bboy_mn originally said:
> >
> >Truth serum and lie detectors are flawed my many way, only one of
> >which is that if the defendant believe what he is saying then he 
> >will consider it truth. 
> >
> >Truth serum is not the answer to everything. It's flawed because,
> >believe it or not, truth is a matter of opinion.

> Bob:
> 
> Which is only speculation since there is no proof (one way or the 
> other) of how effective Veritaserum is when given to someone who is 
> Delusional. 
> 
> ...edited...
>  
> Bob Rosenberg


bboy_mn now responds:

Well, proof No, but there is an indication that this is a commonly
held belief.

---GoF Am HB pg 704 ----
Fudge is speaking- "You-Know-Who... returned? Preposterous. Come now
Dumbledore..."

"...edited...," said Dumbledore, "we heard Bary Crouch confess. Under
the influence of Veritaserum, he told us how he ...edited...."

"See here, Dumbledore," said Fudge, and Harry was astonished to seea
slight smile dawning o nhis face, "you -- you can't seriously believe
that. You-Know-Who -- back? Come now, come now... certainly, Crouch
man have BELIEVED himself to be acting upon You-Know-Who's orders --
but to take the word of a lunatic like that, Dumbledore..."
---End Quote---

Note: in the book the word 'believed' emphasized above is in
lower-case Italics.

So Fudge seems to imply that pychotic self-delusion can potentially
fool the truth serum.

Again, not proof, but a strong indicator.

Just a thought.

bboy_mn