Is is possible to deceive oneself?
No
Side Score: 7
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Yes
Side Score: 7
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Ultimately no. Self deception is a mask of denial that is hidden behind. No one is fooled. Your mind can suppress the truth, run from the truth, deny the truth and hide the truth, but the truth remains unchanged within you. Our so called "unconscious mind" is the great mystery we all carry within us. How it works, what all it can do are unknown. But we do know you can't lie to it. Side: No
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Going by the very broad definition of 'to make (someone) believe something that is not true' as returned by merriam websters online dictionary, then yes. One can cause oneself to believe something that is not true, but only if the fact that it is not true is not evident to the individual. I would normally answer 'no' to this, given that deceit is usually assumed to require intent, though even then, there is the possibility some forms of brainwashing and hypnosis could be used on oneself to that effect as well. Side: Yes
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People can deceive themselves a lot of the time:- that they will be happy if they win the lottery that politicians are honest that they do not need to go to the doctors even when they are sick that they do not have an alcohol problem even when they drink to excess that they do not need to get immunisation that other people get cancer *that something is cheaper buying it on TV than it can be bought elsewhere And so on and on and on.......................and on. Side: Yes
Aren't you confusing self deception with denial. Reality has a way of coming and hitting you in the face if you remain in denial too long. We can't lie to ourselves, we can only pretend. Our minds can suppress the truth, run from the truth, deny the truth and hide the truth, but the truth remains unchanged within us. Side: No
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