Science, Truth and Character

This year, over 60 nations held elections, including the so-called “mother of democracies” and “mother of liberty.” The recent election that concluded yesterday was closely watched worldwide. The spectacle was, in many ways, bewildering. Each context brought unique peculiarities, but common themes seemed to surface globally. 

 

The pre-election period was saturated with rhetoric, often illogical. In our "post-scientific" era, even well-established scientific truths—whether about COVID-19, fluoride in water, or climate change—were branded as fabrications or propaganda orchestrated by “deep states” or opposition groups. Historical facts, too, were dismissed as myths or manipulations from hidden agendas. 

 

This rhetoric stems from our “post-truth” culture, echoing the age-old question, “What is truth?” Whoever can speak with confidence, irrespective of evidence, is deemed truthful. Truth is whatever one can convincingly sell.

 

Linked to this is the emergence of “post-character” leadership, where qualities like character and integrity no longer hold primacy. Today’s leaders are often celebrated for their impact and their ability to re-engineer society, not for their integrity. Means are irrelevant if the ends justify them, and compromise is no longer frowned upon.

The rise of social media, powered by AI, amplifies this trend. “Post-scientific,” “post-truth,” and “post-character” narratives populate the online sphere, constantly reshaping public understanding. But as learning shifts from traditional settings to AI-supported platforms, will the next generation inherit a reality constructed from post-truth, post-evidence, and post-character perspectives? What would future elections look like if this mindset becomes the baseline?

 Or will AI and humanoids themselves intervene? With advancements in general and super-intelligent AI, AI systems might conclude that humans lack the capacity to govern their own affairs responsibly, potentially prompting an unprecedented form of guidance or control.

 

Perhaps, though, we should ask ourselves if there’s a way to make a difference now—by contributing truth, evidence, and integrity to these vast digital spaces.