On a warm spring weekend, Jerry B wanders through Hyde Park. At a corner, he happens upon the Preacher Man, standing on a soapbox and proclaiming the Way of Truth.

Preacher Man: … and they will come to you and they will say “Do not believe such things, for it is hurtful to others to believe such things!”. Or they will say “Do not believe such things, for it is unpleasant to believe such things, and you can do nothing about it regardless!”. Or they will say “Do not believe such things, for it is hard to hide your beliefs, and others will punish you for it when they find out!”. And all these entreaties you must ignore; let them sway your belief neither in one direction nor the other, but rather set them aside and consider only the evidence of what is. Only by putting Truth before Utility will you be able to achieve the greatest utility available to you.

Jerry B: Now hold up, Preacher Man. I don’t think I buy what you’re selling. Let's try an example.

Preacher Man: (Smiles approvingly.) You doubt my prescription, yet you neither brush it aside, nor blindly accept it; you [...]

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First published:
November 12th, 2025

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/gqcAnj3h2kZzCcpY5/why-truth-first

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

“Why Truth First?” by johnswentworth

LessWrong (30+ Karma)