Truth

Truth is always given in the present. The difficulties appear when making statements about the future and the past. We define the various aspects T.1-10 of truth as follows:

T.1 := personal reliability := predict the future in the personal (or as company representative) responsibility correctly

Example: Being on time at an appointment.

Reason: When collaborating it is of foremost importance to be reliable, i.e. do what is promised on time and at most at the cost communicated. In cases of imminent deviations, which should be the exception cases, their communication as early as possible is required.

T.2 := in nature we can trust := the fundament of the universe, of nature, physical and biological processes.

T.3 := can be verified := not some meta-physical concept, but is facts-based, mathematical and scientific. This means that true statements or facts or prediction models (formulas) can be tested and verified (or not yet falsified at least) by all that want to do so.

T.4 := report truely := personal accountability, i.e. accurately and completely report about the self-experienced past if asked for.

T.5 := allow teasing := to know that among friends teasing, joking and irony, which includes telling "bullshit", is part of day-to-day communication. This is, of course, allowed. It must not be used in serious circumstances and with unknown people.

T.6 := allow fiction := to allow fairy tales, irony and fiction also in appropriate public contexts (cultural productions).

T.7 := be competent := to know and be skilled in the profession and the day to day activities (e.g. cooking, cleaning, buying and storing food and other necessities)

Example: caring for sustainable resources usage, if there are available and affordable options, you must choose the more sustainable one.

Consequence 1: each human being has the duty and right to get the appropriate education.

Consequence 2: the knowledge and skills must be maintained throughout lifetime.

Consequence 3: strive to improve (use what you learned, honour traditions, but think, from time to time, about improving, i.e. could the same be done with less effort, quicker, using less ressources? … or does it have to remain the same, at all?)

Consequence 4: assist in educating others when need becomes apparent or you are asked for.

T.8 := be true := all untrue information spoken or written and non-professional behaviour except in contexts T.5 and T.6 is a violation of the first law independent of the intentions.

T.9 := know := if you don’t know a subject, better hold your mouth shut and learn first.

Consequence 1: facts and current state of knowledge must be clearly distinguishable from other information (which includes fake news).

Consequence 2: no rules must be based on other information.

Recommendation: still and of course, privately and company-internal you may use any information and processes to work and decide, but we recommend to stick to facts and knowledge.

T.10 := clear opinion declaration := generic predictions or hypotheses or so-called opinions must be declared as such and never stated as if a fact and attributed a probability which must be based on facts and knowledge. Also, there is freedom of opinions but it ends when falsified hypotheses or statements are still communicated as valid opinions. This then is treated as a violation of the requirement T.8 of being true.

Examples: Wrong: If Switzerland would join the EU, the Swiss economy would grow. Correct version 1: If Switzerland would join the EU, we cannot predict the effects on Swiss economy. Correct version 2: I believe that if Switzerland would join the EU, the Swiss economy would grow with high (=80% or more) probability, because … [such and such and such]

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