The Rationality of Values

Abstract

In the paper by Adlan and ten Have (2012), an ethical obligation to not tell the truth is argued. The case is wrenching and urgent, for the consequences are dire for the patient, the mother, the father, and a constellation of other people. It is also challenging for the reader belonging to modern scientific culture in which we have come to take truth as a value in itself, transcultural and imperative. Scientific research claimed to be value-free, that is, ignoring utilitarian, social, and religious values, but affirming the value of truth unconditionally. Humans do pursue knowledge for itself, and they also work to build and grow plants and other animals, maintain harmonious societies where people can flourish, and produce images, songs, dramas that enchant and ennoble. The pursuit of truth is an instrumental value in the practical and social projects of a society. But every society recognizes that telling the truth to anyone and everyone can be dangerous. Knowledge of some sacred truths about the ways of the gods or about powers to influence them was understood to be dangerous to many kinds of people. Knowledge of kinds and stocks of weapons is understood to be dangerous in undisciplined or antisocial people; scientific discoveries of how to produce new viruses and plagues have to be kept secret. The assembling of facts, the evaluations, and the decisions of every community are rational. The tribal society is rational as is the medical community, although not extending across the same data and not employing the same methods of identifying relevant data. The values in the different endeavours and institutions of a society were thoughtfully and rationally set up and can be rationally justified. In all areas of thought, something once understood and accepted is not and need not be each time subjected to questioning. The major values are taken as evident by a society, and reasoning about individual issues incorporates them as givens. The economic and social institutions of a society both posit them and build on them. In the situation described by this paper, there are three communities. In the tribal society, the cohesion and honour of the family are paramount, and truth about paternity is subsequently essential. The cohesion and honour of the family are not just conceptual ideals; the economic and social organization is built on it. In the Saudi state governed by Sharee’a law, the welfare of children in a responsible family is paramount; consequently, truth about adultery requires Bioethical Inquiry (2012) 9:411–412 DOI 10.1007/s11673-012-9406-7