Why does Truth matter? an allegory

     Let's imagine the following allegory: 

     Two laboratories exist that currently cannot communicate with one another. Both labs perform research on the same vitamin and have their own respective patients. The vitamin has the same impact on all patients and the impact has always been the same. Additionally, all patients and both labs currently believe that the vitamin has a positive health benefit. With this in place, let’s now imagine that lab #1 discovers evidence that the vitamin actually causes cancer. Lab #2 and their patients are not yet aware of this knowledge. 

     From the perspective of lab #1, we (hopefully) agree that it is now an immoral act to provide the vitamin to their patients (we can assume that none of the patients want cancer). If the vitamins were prescribed to the patients anyway, we would (hopefully) consider this action unethical (immoral). 

     From the perspective of lab #2 (which has no knowledge of the cancer causing issue), we agree that prescribing the vitamins is still a moral act despite the fact that all of these patients will still get cancer. We recognize that the objective moral standard in each scenario is the awareness of knowledge (the available Truth). This is why Truth matters.

     At this point in the story, we have lab #1 no longer prescribing vitamins while lab #2 continues to prescribe the vitamins to their own set of patients. Every action in this allegory was moral despite the very different impacts on wellbeing. 

     From our perspective (as the omniscient reader) we can (hopefully) see a very different side to this story. We can understand how knowledge of Truth is required before a moral decision can be made. Furthermore, we understand the incredible importance of accurate (True) information within a society. We can also imagine the damgage of widespread false belief. Simply put, as our knowledge increases, so also does our ability to undertand moral decisions. If our goal is to reduce harm, then believing in True things is critical in doing so. 

     Faith is not a path to Truth. Faith is synonymous with gullibility. In our current world, 1000’s of faiths exist across the world. All faiths cannot be True. All faiths can be false. 

    Final test question: is there a moral obligation to share this knowledge with those who are currently unaware of the harm? 

(illusration produced by non-existent art team)