Psychedelics, Consciousness, and AI | Richard Dawkins | EP 256

Truth and Ethics

Jordan Peterson and Richard Dawkins explore the intricate relationship between truth and ethics. They discuss the complexities of truth-telling in sensitive situations, such as informing a patient about a terminal illness, and the ethical frameworks that guide these decisions 1. Dawkins emphasizes the existence of objective truths, even when they are unpleasant or harmful 2.

There are truths that under some circumstances might be harmful and that could be used as weapons. But I would still say I don't believe that you can be a scientist and discover objective truth, say, in a useful manner, without being committed to a metaphysical vision of the redeeming power of the truth.

--- Jordan Peterson

Peterson adds that a commitment to truth in science is akin to an act of faith, essential for making micro-decisions during research 2.

   

Evolutionary Biology

The conversation shifts to how evolutionary biology shapes our understanding of truth. Peterson and Dawkins debate whether evolutionary truths are commensurate with Newtonian or Cartesian ideas of objective truth 3. Dawkins asserts that while our knowledge may be incomplete, objective truths exist and science aims to uncover them 3.

There may be kinds of truth which are somehow filtered through our Darwinian past and which influence the way we see truth. And we may be deceived by all sorts of things. We may be self-deceived, but there are objective truths. It is the business of science to find them.

--- Richard Dawkins

Peterson highlights the challenge of deciding which facts to attend to, given the infinite number of objective facts, and how this decision-making process is not purely scientific 3.