Yes, my hypothetical virus would require an intent to deceive. I wonder, though, if study of mythomania (pathological lying) will eventually show that lying-to-others might share some biological similarities with the process of self-deception. Maybe it'll turn out instead that only lying-to-others has the social component, the complex weighing of costs to social standing of any proposed action. Lying-to-self might be a completely different process.
no subject