The Guiding Love of Wisdom:

Principles On Truth and Ethics

Truth as a Goal

Truth is always beneficial.  Truth is beneficial especially if acceptance has been delayed by ignorance or hindered by law, even to the point of initial damage upon acceptance.  This is because the cost of denying reality is very high and this cost increases in the face of obvious truths contradicting the alternative reality.  The benefit is not that truth grants any freedoms in itself but, rather, it refuses pernicious lies that crush the spirit and block further truths.  This is beyond mere honesty because it is possible to lie without saying anything false, through small truths and omissions.  It is necessary to actively and viciously seek answers in confidence all that can be revealed is the truth.

Ethics of Actions

An ethic is a real application of an abstract moral rule (maxim; a theorem of maximal good given a circumstance).  An ethical philosophy entails a strategic balance of maxims chosen to maximize perceived longterm good in relation to culture, power structures, and societal norms.  Ethics define relationships.  Who a person is and how other people interpret their personality is a product of the ethics informing their actions.  The ethical implications underlying a person’s decisions inform everyone about their values and intentions.  How this communication of personal philosophy occurs is not simply through the actions performed but through the contextual manner of action, priorities, explicit communication, and body language.  Ethics are what guide people’s choices between goods, and it is the societal composite of those choices that demonstrate cultural values.

Ethical Treatment of Truth

Some valuable truths entail very high costs to initiate while others will demand more immediate attention with relatively low costs.  It is an ethical philosophy based in truth and honest evaluation that best navigates these decisions.  These tasks require the skills for seeking truth partnered to a comprehensive philosophy of virtues, values, and reason.