"真相 - 成功谎言的关键 (Truth is the core to a successful lie)" Book cover design

Whether a statement is true or false is, therefore, not a function of the moral character of the statement's author, but rather of the situation to which the statement pertains. Hence, we may have (i) statements that are truthfully made but which are false, (ii) statements that are truthfully made and are true, and (iii) lies that are true statements. We may thus say very rightly that truthfulness and lying are to persons as truth and falsity are to statements. The ability to lie is thus an essential characteristic of persons, just as falsity-possibility is an essential feature of statements, thoughts and beliefs.