India, Feb. 21 -- We all know that dishonesty is a part of life and the majority of us lie, cheat, and deceive not just to increase our gains but for a variety of reasons that relate as much to our own particular social and moral underpinnings as to the task at hand. A commonly accepted definition of the term lie is a false statement made by an individual who knows that the statement is not true. This definition emphasises the volitional nature of a lie, recognising that not only must the liar make a false statement, but that he/she must also know that the statement is indeed false.

Looking around would make us realise that we are living in a world where conditions are so fertile for falsehood to flourish that the very idea of truth is t...