Abstract

This study explores the place of deception, prediction, and disguised intentions in strategic interactions. Whilst this paper argues for the significance of the semiotics of deception, it considers one aspect of this issue, namely, the relation between prediction and deception. Does deceiving others presuppose a dimension of prediction? What does this type of imagination, nested in deception, consist of? What socio-cognitive skills are required to engage in complex acts of deception? These are all relevant questions in debating deception in human relations. The analysis reveals the need for an evaluation of the importance of prediction in order to understand deception.