diff --git a/src/.jshintrc b/src/.jshintrc
index 589805d63ede..f1b1c8cc8549 100644
--- a/src/.jshintrc
+++ b/src/.jshintrc
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@
     "toJsonReplacer": false,
     "toJson": false,
     "fromJson": false,
-    "toBoolean": false,
     "startingTag": false,
     "tryDecodeURIComponent": false,
     "parseKeyValue": false,
diff --git a/src/Angular.js b/src/Angular.js
index 5aa4da1949e0..8daf1e417140 100644
--- a/src/Angular.js
+++ b/src/Angular.js
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@
     -toJsonReplacer,
     -toJson,
     -fromJson,
-    -toBoolean,
     -startingTag,
     -tryDecodeURIComponent,
     -parseKeyValue,
@@ -1033,18 +1032,6 @@ function fromJson(json) {
 }
 
 
-function toBoolean(value) {
-  if (typeof value === 'function') {
-    value = true;
-  } else if (value && value.length !== 0) {
-    var v = lowercase("" + value);
-    value = !(v == 'f' || v == '0' || v == 'false' || v == 'no' || v == 'n' || v == '[]');
-  } else {
-    value = false;
-  }
-  return value;
-}
-
 /**
  * @returns {string} Returns the string representation of the element.
  */
diff --git a/src/ng/directive/input.js b/src/ng/directive/input.js
index 177919f116e3..df038ef2c2df 100644
--- a/src/ng/directive/input.js
+++ b/src/ng/directive/input.js
@@ -932,7 +932,7 @@ function textInputType(scope, element, attr, ctrl, $sniffer, $browser) {
     // By default we will trim the value
     // If the attribute ng-trim exists we will avoid trimming
     // e.g. <input ng-model="foo" ng-trim="false">
-    if (toBoolean(attr.ngTrim || 'T')) {
+    if (!attr.ngTrim || attr.ngTrim !== 'false') {
       value = trim(value);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/ng/directive/ngIf.js b/src/ng/directive/ngIf.js
index f75674039a1d..4c37bde87bfb 100644
--- a/src/ng/directive/ngIf.js
+++ b/src/ng/directive/ngIf.js
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ var ngIfDirective = ['$animate', function($animate) {
         var block, childScope, previousElements;
         $scope.$watch($attr.ngIf, function ngIfWatchAction(value) {
 
-          if (toBoolean(value)) {
+          if (value) {
             if (!childScope) {
               $transclude(function (clone, newScope) {
                 childScope = newScope;
diff --git a/src/ng/directive/ngShowHide.js b/src/ng/directive/ngShowHide.js
index a04357eca07d..f3dfe10d66ac 100644
--- a/src/ng/directive/ngShowHide.js
+++ b/src/ng/directive/ngShowHide.js
@@ -19,15 +19,10 @@
  * <div ng-show="myValue" class="ng-hide"></div>
  * ```
  *
- * When the ngShow expression evaluates to false then the ng-hide CSS class is added to the class attribute
- * on the element causing it to become hidden. When true, the ng-hide CSS class is removed
+ * When the ngShow expression evaluates to a falsy value then the ng-hide CSS class is added to the class
+ * attribute on the element causing it to become hidden. When truthy, the ng-hide CSS class is removed
  * from the element causing the element not to appear hidden.
  *
- * <div class="alert alert-warning">
- * **Note:** Here is a list of values that ngShow will consider as a falsy value (case insensitive):<br />
- * "f" / "0" / "false" / "no" / "n" / "[]"
- * </div>
- *
  * ## Why is !important used?
  *
  * You may be wondering why !important is used for the .ng-hide CSS class. This is because the `.ng-hide` selector
@@ -163,7 +158,7 @@
 var ngShowDirective = ['$animate', function($animate) {
   return function(scope, element, attr) {
     scope.$watch(attr.ngShow, function ngShowWatchAction(value){
-      $animate[toBoolean(value) ? 'removeClass' : 'addClass'](element, 'ng-hide');
+      $animate[value ? 'removeClass' : 'addClass'](element, 'ng-hide');
     });
   };
 }];
@@ -188,15 +183,10 @@ var ngShowDirective = ['$animate', function($animate) {
  * <div ng-hide="myValue"></div>
  * ```
  *
- * When the ngHide expression evaluates to true then the .ng-hide CSS class is added to the class attribute
- * on the element causing it to become hidden. When false, the ng-hide CSS class is removed
+ * When the ngHide expression evaluates to a truthy value then the .ng-hide CSS class is added to the class
+ * attribute on the element causing it to become hidden. When falsy, the ng-hide CSS class is removed
  * from the element causing the element not to appear hidden.
  *
- * <div class="alert alert-warning">
- * **Note:** Here is a list of values that ngHide will consider as a falsy value (case insensitive):<br />
- * "f" / "0" / "false" / "no" / "n" / "[]"
- * </div>
- *
  * ## Why is !important used?
  *
  * You may be wondering why !important is used for the .ng-hide CSS class. This is because the `.ng-hide` selector
@@ -319,7 +309,7 @@ var ngShowDirective = ['$animate', function($animate) {
 var ngHideDirective = ['$animate', function($animate) {
   return function(scope, element, attr) {
     scope.$watch(attr.ngHide, function ngHideWatchAction(value){
-      $animate[toBoolean(value) ? 'addClass' : 'removeClass'](element, 'ng-hide');
+      $animate[value ? 'addClass' : 'removeClass'](element, 'ng-hide');
     });
   };
 }];
diff --git a/src/ng/filter/orderBy.js b/src/ng/filter/orderBy.js
index c20add53dc5d..4efd9e19d9a6 100644
--- a/src/ng/filter/orderBy.js
+++ b/src/ng/filter/orderBy.js
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ function orderByFilter($parse){
       return 0;
     }
     function reverseComparator(comp, descending) {
-      return toBoolean(descending)
+      return descending
           ? function(a,b){return comp(b,a);}
           : comp;
     }
diff --git a/test/.jshintrc b/test/.jshintrc
index 8c9f8748995d..0127b87819e7 100644
--- a/test/.jshintrc
+++ b/test/.jshintrc
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@
     "toJsonReplacer": false,
     "toJson": false,
     "fromJson": false,
-    "toBoolean": false,
     "startingTag": false,
     "tryDecodeURIComponent": false,
     "parseKeyValue": false,
diff --git a/test/BinderSpec.js b/test/BinderSpec.js
index 57f529b0a520..23519fe8fc17 100644
--- a/test/BinderSpec.js
+++ b/test/BinderSpec.js
@@ -248,6 +248,16 @@ describe('Binder', function() {
     $rootScope.hidden = 'false';
     $rootScope.$apply();
 
+    assertHidden(element);
+
+    $rootScope.hidden = 0;
+    $rootScope.$apply();
+
+    assertVisible(element);
+
+    $rootScope.hidden = false;
+    $rootScope.$apply();
+
     assertVisible(element);
 
     $rootScope.hidden = '';
@@ -267,6 +277,16 @@ describe('Binder', function() {
     $rootScope.show = 'false';
     $rootScope.$apply();
 
+    assertVisible(element);
+
+    $rootScope.show = false;
+    $rootScope.$apply();
+
+    assertHidden(element);
+
+    $rootScope.show = false;
+    $rootScope.$apply();
+
     assertHidden(element);
 
     $rootScope.show = '';
diff --git a/test/ng/directive/ngIfSpec.js b/test/ng/directive/ngIfSpec.js
index b18a4301570d..f952500ec90d 100755
--- a/test/ng/directive/ngIfSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/directive/ngIfSpec.js
@@ -16,13 +16,15 @@ describe('ngIf', function () {
     dealoc(element);
   });
 
-  function makeIf(expr) {
-    element.append($compile('<div class="my-class" ng-if="' + expr + '"><div>Hi</div></div>')($scope));
+  function makeIf() {
+    forEach(arguments, function (expr) {
+      element.append($compile('<div class="my-class" ng-if="' + expr + '"><div>Hi</div></div>')($scope));
+    });
     $scope.$apply();
   }
 
-  it('should immediately remove element if condition is false', function () {
-    makeIf('false');
+  it('should immediately remove the element if condition is falsy', function () {
+    makeIf('false', 'undefined', 'null', 'NaN', '\'\'', '0');
     expect(element.children().length).toBe(0);
   });
 
@@ -31,6 +33,16 @@ describe('ngIf', function () {
     expect(element.children().length).toBe(1);
   });
 
+  it('should leave the element if the condition is a non-empty string', function () {
+    makeIf('\'f\'', '\'0\'', '\'false\'', '\'no\'', '\'n\'', '\'[]\'');
+    expect(element.children().length).toBe(6);
+  });
+
+  it('should leave the element if the condition is an object', function () {
+    makeIf('[]', '{}');
+    expect(element.children().length).toBe(2);
+  });
+
   it('should not add the element twice if the condition goes from true to true', function () {
     $scope.hello = 'true1';
     makeIf('hello');
diff --git a/test/ng/directive/ngShowHideSpec.js b/test/ng/directive/ngShowHideSpec.js
index f1a1986af5f5..7c73c0aa4195 100644
--- a/test/ng/directive/ngShowHideSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/directive/ngShowHideSpec.js
@@ -1,54 +1,106 @@
 'use strict';
 
 describe('ngShow / ngHide', function() {
-  var element;
+  var $scope, $compile, element;
 
+  function expectVisibility(exprs, ngShowOrNgHide, shownOrHidden) {
+    element = $compile('<div></div>')($scope);
+    forEach(exprs, function (expr) {
+      var childElem = $compile('<div ' + ngShowOrNgHide + '="' + expr + '"></div>')($scope);
+      element.append(childElem);
+      $scope.$digest();
+      expect(childElem)[shownOrHidden === 'shown' ? 'toBeShown' : 'toBeHidden']();
+    });
+  }
+
+  beforeEach(inject(function ($rootScope, _$compile_) {
+    $scope = $rootScope.$new();
+    $compile = _$compile_;
+  }));
 
   afterEach(function() {
     dealoc(element);
   });
 
   describe('ngShow', function() {
-    it('should show and hide an element', inject(function($rootScope, $compile) {
+    function expectShown() {
+      expectVisibility(arguments, 'ng-show', 'shown');
+    }
+
+    function expectHidden() {
+      expectVisibility(arguments, 'ng-show', 'hidden');
+    }
+
+    it('should show and hide an element', function() {
       element = jqLite('<div ng-show="exp"></div>');
-      element = $compile(element)($rootScope);
-      $rootScope.$digest();
+      element = $compile(element)($scope);
+      $scope.$digest();
       expect(element).toBeHidden();
-      $rootScope.exp = true;
-      $rootScope.$digest();
+      $scope.exp = true;
+      $scope.$digest();
       expect(element).toBeShown();
-    }));
-
+    });
 
     // https://github.com/angular/angular.js/issues/5414
-    it('should show if the expression is a function with a no arguments', inject(function($rootScope, $compile) {
+    it('should show if the expression is a function with a no arguments', function() {
       element = jqLite('<div ng-show="exp"></div>');
-      element = $compile(element)($rootScope);
-      $rootScope.exp = function(){};
-      $rootScope.$digest();
+      element = $compile(element)($scope);
+      $scope.exp = function(){};
+      $scope.$digest();
       expect(element).toBeShown();
-    }));
-
+    });
 
-    it('should make hidden element visible', inject(function($rootScope, $compile) {
+    it('should make hidden element visible', function() {
       element = jqLite('<div class="ng-hide" ng-show="exp"></div>');
-      element = $compile(element)($rootScope);
+      element = $compile(element)($scope);
       expect(element).toBeHidden();
-      $rootScope.exp = true;
-      $rootScope.$digest();
+      $scope.exp = true;
+      $scope.$digest();
       expect(element).toBeShown();
-    }));
+    });
+
+    it('should hide the element if condition is falsy', function() {
+      expectHidden('false', 'undefined', 'null', 'NaN', '\'\'', '0');
+    });
+
+    it('should show the element if condition is a non-empty string', function() {
+      expectShown('\'f\'', '\'0\'', '\'false\'', '\'no\'', '\'n\'', '\'[]\'');
+    });
+
+    it('should show the element if condition is an object', function() {
+      expectShown('[]', '{}');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('ngHide', function() {
-    it('should hide an element', inject(function($rootScope, $compile) {
+    function expectShown() {
+      expectVisibility(arguments, 'ng-hide', 'shown');
+    }
+
+    function expectHidden() {
+      expectVisibility(arguments, 'ng-hide', 'hidden');
+    }
+
+    it('should hide an element', function() {
       element = jqLite('<div ng-hide="exp"></div>');
-      element = $compile(element)($rootScope);
+      element = $compile(element)($scope);
       expect(element).toBeShown();
-      $rootScope.exp = true;
-      $rootScope.$digest();
+      $scope.exp = true;
+      $scope.$digest();
       expect(element).toBeHidden();
-    }));
+    });
+
+    it('should show the element if condition is falsy', function() {
+      expectShown('false', 'undefined', 'null', 'NaN', '\'\'', '0');
+    });
+
+    it('should hide the element if condition is a non-empty string', function() {
+      expectHidden('\'f\'', '\'0\'', '\'false\'', '\'no\'', '\'n\'', '\'[]\'');
+    });
+
+    it('should hide the element if condition is an object', function() {
+      expectHidden('[]', '{}');
+    });
   });
 });