Demetris Koutsoyiannis
Date: 9 September 2025

[Γλαύκων:] τοὺς δὲ ἀληθινούς [φιλοσόφους], ἔφη, τίνας λέγεις; [Σωκράτης:] τοὺς τῆς ἀληθείας, ἦν δ᾽ ἐγώ, φιλοθεάμονας (Πλάτων, Πολιτεία 475e).[Glaucon:] And who do you call true [philosophers]? [Socrates:] Those who love to see the truth (Plato, Republic 475e).

Τὴν μὲν μετὰ λόγου ἀληθῆ δόξαν ἐπιστήμην εἶναι, τὴν δὲ ἄλογον ἐκτὸς ἐπιστήμης (Πλάτων, Θεαίτητος, 201d).
Science is a true and logically confirmed assessment, but one without logic is outside the realm of science (Plato, Theaetetus, 201d).

Ὀρθῶς δ’ ἔχει καὶ τὸ καλεῖσθαι τὴν φιλοσοφίαν ἐπιστήμην τῆς ἀληθείας. Θεωρητικῆς μὲν γὰρ τέλος ἀλήθεια πρακτικῆς δ’ ἔργον (Αριστοτέλης, Μετὰ τὰ φυσικά, A, 993b).
It is correct that philosophy is called the exact knowledge of truth. Theoretical knowledge aims at truth, and practical knowledge at action (Aristotle, Metaphysics, A, 993b).

Φανερὸν ὅτι διὰ τὸ εἰδέναι τὸ ἐπίστασθαι ἐδίωκον καὶ οὐ χρήσεώς τινος ἕνεκεν […] Δῆλον οὖν ὡς δι’ οὐδεμίαν αὐτὴν ζητοῦμεν χρείαν ἑτέραν ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ ἄνθρωπος, φαμέν, ἐλεύθερος ὁ αὑτοῦ ἕνεκα καὶ μὴ ἄλλου ὤν, οὕτω καὶ αὐτὴν ὡς μόνην οὖσαν ἐλευθέραν τῶν ἐπιστημῶν· μόνη γὰρ αὕτη αὑτῆς ἕνεκέν ἐστιν. (Αριστοτέλης, Μετὰ τὰ φυσικά, α, 982b).
It is clear that they sought precise knowledge [science] for the sake of knowledge itself and not for its usefulness. […] It is therefore obvious that we do not seek this knowledge to satisfy some other need, but, just as we say that a free man is one who exists for himself and not to serve someone else, so we seek science as the only free knowledge. Science exists for its own sake.

Δόξειε δ᾽ ἂν ἴσως βέλτιον εἶναι καὶ δεῖν ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ γε τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα ἀναιρεῖν, ἄλλως τε καὶ φιλοσόφους ὄντας: ἀμφοῖν γὰρ ὄντοιν φίλοιν ὅσιον προτιμᾶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν (Ἀριστοτέλης, Ἠθικὰ Νικομάχεια 1096a11).
Still perhaps it would appear desirable, and indeed it would seem to be obligatory, especially for a philosopher, to sacrifice even one’s closest personal ties in defence of the truth. Both are dear to us, yet it is our duty to prefer the truth”; Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1096a11).

Φίλος μέν Σωκράτης, ἀλλά φιλτάτη ἡ ἀλήθεια (Ἀμμώνιος ὁ Ἑρμείου, Βίος Ἀριστοτέλους).
Socrates is dear (friend), but truth is dearest (Ammonius, Life of Aristotle).

All of the above quotations emphasize that science is all about truth. The next one highlights that being a scientist —and hence pursuing the truth— takes courage and may require one to sacrifice the enjoyments of life —and even life per se.

Ἀλλὰ καὶ Πρωταγόρας ἔφυγε, καὶ Ἀναξαγόραν εἱρχθέντα μόλις περιεποιήσατο Περικλῆς, καὶ Σωκράτης, οὐδὲν αὐτῷ τῶν γε τοιούτων προσῆκον, ὅμως ἀπώλετο διὰ φιλοσοφίαν (Πλουτάρχου Βίοι Παράλληλοι, Νικίας, 23)
Even Protagoras was exiled, Anaxagoras was imprisoned and with difficulty rescued by [his pupil] Pericles, and Socrates, though he had nothing whatever to do with such matters [natural philosophy], nevertheless lost his life because of philosophy (Plutarch, Nicias, 23).

To these we could add Hypatia and Giordano Bruno, who lost their lives, as well as Galileo and many others who were hunted down, but they managed to rescue their lives.

Epicurus also advised us that truth seekers and tellers need courage and should not expect the public praise:

Παρρησία γὰρ ἔγωγε χρώμενος φυσιολογῶν χρησμωδεῖν τὰ συμφέροντα πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις μᾶλλον ἂν βουλοίμιν, κἄν μηδεὶς μέλλῃ συνήσειν, ἤ συγκατατιθέμενος τοῖς δόξαις καρποῦσθαι τὸν πυκνὸν παραπίπτοντα παρὰ τὸν πολλῶν ἔπαινον (Επικούρου Προσφώνησις, 29).
As I study nature, I would prefer to speak all truth bravely about what is beneficial to all people, even though it be understood by none, rather than to conform to popular opinion and thus gain the constant praise of the many (Epicurus, Vatican Sayings, 29).

In these circumstances, a scientist should muster the courage to confront fear. The latter is not impossible, if one understands that studying nature is consistent with dispelling fear:

Οὐκ ἦν τὸ φοβούμενον λύειν ὑπὲρ τῶν κυριωτάτων μὴ κατειδότα τίς ἡ τοῦ σύμπαντος φύσις͵ ἀλλ΄ ὑποπτεύοντά τι τῶν κατὰ τοὺς μύθους (Επικούρου Κύριαι Δόξαι, 12).
It is impossible for someone to dispel his fears about the most important matters if he doesn’t know the nature of the universe but still gives credence to myths (Epicurus, Principal Doctrines, 12).

I wouldn’t say that I am brave or fearless. However, the following verse by the fifteenth century Indian poet Kabir helped me to fight my fear.

Walking from truth to truth, what can destroy you? (Kabir) [7]

I hope it is self-evident that I am not claiming that I know the truth. Actually, I don’t know it. What I do know is that I pursue the truth. And in doing so, I have discovered several cases in which lies are promoted as truth.

This post was first published on Demetris’ personal blog Climath.

[1] ‘It’s totalitarian’ | Wesley Yang on the ‘successor ideology’ that captured our elites – YouTube, 2025.

[2] Analysis: American Express, George Soros back non-profits pushing illegal immigration across Texas border, Austin Journal, 2022.

[3] Cf. the video and footnote 4 in D. Koutsoyiannis, Annouska, Remniscences…, 2025.

[4] Cf. D. Koutsoyiannis, Introducing Climath, Climath, 2024.

[5] J. Nordangård, The Ministry of Truth – Revisited, The Pharos Chronicles, 2023.

[6] Cf. my memories from the Athens Polytechnic uprising in 1973 in D. Koutsoyiannis, Αναμνήσεις από τον Νοέμβρη του 1973 [Automatic translation to English: Memories from November 1973], Itia blog, 2017.

[7] https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/the-mystic-mind-and-music-of-kabir_ei/web/toc.html