The Right to Truth and Moral Values

Abstract

The right to truth is an emerging principle in international, civil, and constitutional law, guaranteeing victims and their families the right to know the facts related to serious human rights violations, going beyond mere procedural truth. Truth is no longer understood as a static or transcendent entity, but as a movement manifested through the continuous becoming of things and through their relationships with the world. In law, truth is not an absolute concept, but rather one of a pragmatic and procedural character. Analyzed as a moral principle, truth represents a fundamental ethical pillar that requires sincerity, conscience, and responsibility in relation to reality and to others. This article seeks to clarify the terms of the broad and complex debate concerning the relationship between truth and law, starting even if with some inevitable approximations—from several fundamental points of philosophical reflection, taking into account the impact these arguments have had on philosophy, as well as on the theory of law and Christian morality in general.

KEYWORDS:  Morality, Ethics, Testimony, Witness, Virtue