Group Assertions and Group Lies

Abstract Groups, like individuals, can communicate. They issue statements, make promises, give advice. Sometimes, in doing so, they lie and deceive. The goal of this paper is to offer a precise characterisation what it means for group an assertion lie. I begin by showing that Lackey’s influential account unable distinguish assertions from other speech acts, explicit statements implicatures, lying misleading. propose alternative view, according which asserts proposition only if explicitly presents as true, thereby committing its truth. This proposal then put work define lying. While scholars typically assume requires (i) deceptive intent (ii) belief the falsity asserted proposition, definition drops condition significantly broadens (ii).