Lies and Truth: Philosophy, Ethics, and Cognitive Hygiene

This article offers a profound analysis of the dichotomy of lies and truth, drawing on the work of Leszek Kołakowski and Immanuel Kant. The author begins with observations of nature, where illusion serves survival, and moves on to complex ethical dilemmas in the public and private spheres. The text confronts a rigorous approach to honesty with social realism, which permits so-called white lies. A key element of the discussion is the concept of cognitive hygiene, understood as a set of tools for verifying information and combating self-deception. In the era of post-truth and totalitarian pathologies, the author advocates for the construction of an "infrastructure of freedom" based on transparency and mechanisms of correction. References to the traditions of the East and West enrich the perspective, encouraging the reader to think critically and to cultivate a commitment to the quality of public debate.