AAP 2026 CONFERENCE

This paper explores a possible explanation for why we care about truth. As human beings, we are naturally inclined to seek truth over falsehoods. Normatively, we are also expected to believe and assert truths rather than lies. But why is truth so important to us? One common view holds that truth has instrumental value—it helps us achieve our goals. Another view sees truth as intrinsically valuable, valuable in itself. However, Wrenn (2010, 2017, 2023) argues that both views fall short. He denies that truth itself has value but claims that caring about truth is a moral virtue; we morally ought to seek it. Following Wrenn’s strategy, I will also reject the idea that truth itself has value. Instead, I focus on the process of acquiring truth. I propose that acquiring truth is a kind of achievement, and achievement is intrinsically valuable. The pursuit of truth involves overcoming challenges and exercising our will, a core human character. Thus, the value lies not in truth itself, but in the act of seeking it. By emphasizing the value of achievement, we can explain why we ought to care about truth without assuming that truth is valuable in itself.