If mind-reading was invented, would it be legal to use in court?

[Legodude77]

I've had this question for a long time in my head and want to know what other people think about it. If they created a way to read minds and see the events that have ever happened to that person from the time they could remember, would this be able to be used in things like court cases? It would basically remove the need for a trial as all they would have to do is read the person's mind and see if they did something or not? What does the forums think?

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[_Rave_]

I've had this question for a long time in my head and want to know what other people think about it. If they created a way to read minds and see the events that have ever happened to that person from the time they could remember, would this be able to be used in things like court cases? It would basically remove the need for a trial as all they would have to do is read the person's mind and see if they did something or not? What does the forums think?

it would probably be used in court cases, yeah

i don't see why they wouldn't do it.  unless of course the "mind reader" lies about whether or not the person did the crime

o dam

that's a whole 'nother angle on this

god damn

[dkamm65]

It's not possible so this question is irrelevant.

[Momentum]

just use it as a threat for people who have clashing stories about what happened

[Legodude77]

i don't see why they wouldn't do it.  unless of course the "mind reader" lies about whether or not the person did the crime

I was more thinking of they put some stuff on your head and it show what you've seen on a tv or something.

[fred da kiko]

It's not possible so this question is irrelevant.

It technically is possible, although you wouldn't be able to read memories, only current thoughts. Most of the time, our thoughts are abstract anyway, so it would be useless. A defendant could quite literally trick the mind reading device by visualizing tuna or something.

[dkamm65]

It technically is possible, although you wouldn't be able to read memories, only current thoughts. Most of the time, our thoughts are abstract anyway, so it would be useless. A defendant could quite literally trick the mind reading device by visualizing tuna or something.

Completely telepathic mind reading, no.

Hooking the person up to a brain monitor, maybe. If that was the case, the person would have to consent to it, just like a polygraph test.

[Elecro]

My dad said even the FBI can't outsmart a polygraph test.

[Electrk²]

Right to privacy

[Steve5452]

You can deny a polygraph, you'd definitely be able to deny mind reading.

[fawkes..]

You'd probably have to get a special warrant or something, or uise it only in extreme circumstances (terror threat, serial killer etc) breaking into someones home is one thing but their mind is a completely different matter.

[dkamm65]

You'd probably have to get a special warrant or something, or uise it only in extreme circumstances (terror threat, serial killer etc) breaking into someones home is one thing but their mind is a completely different matter.

And you can't even search a person's home without a warrant.

[ultimamax]

but the thing is if it's undetectable they could read your mind illegally and use that not as evidence but to learn things about a crime, had you done them. e.g (they read where you hid the bodies, next day they find the bodies with your fingerprints)

[fred da kiko]

Completely telepathic mind reading, no.

Hooking the person up to a brain monitor, maybe. If that was the case, the person would have to consent to it, just like a polygraph test.

That's what i mean, I was thinking about the basic technology we have today to sense brainwaves.

[xxxxkill]

Isn't the fifth amendment kind of against forcing somebody to put up evidence against themselves if they can? I'm not a lawyer, but this might be in violation of the US Constitution so I don't think it'd be legal.