I stand correction but it seems to me that an old ethical counter distinction has risen to prominence once again. One can make a case that the endless antagonism between Equality and Freedom and also that between Quality and Quantity appear to evolve in some sort of dialectical process but this one between Confidence and Truth, which appears to have been reinvigorated especially in modern economic theory, is something else again. There was a time when the doctor would quietly explain the dreaded prognosis to the family while the patient was jollied along with, 'It's just a tummy bug' or, 'a passing chest infection'; the idea being that telling the diagnostic truth would cause the patient to lose heart and be miserable, causing greater distress. Today this practice appears to be no longer restricted to individuals but to nations and national economies, based, it seems, on the theory that confidence is a superior guiding principle to that of truth. One could say it is really about truth versus lie but I think it is not so simple. What say you?
Dear Peter,
I think that when people work with their models they may see some connection of it with objects. This agreement of knowledge and objects becomes their truth. Experience is the source of their truth. As they build up confidence, they may share their views with other practitioners. I agree that dialectical forces may move against them especially in the long-term.
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