Those who forget good and evil and seek only to know the facts are more likely to achieve good than those who view the world through the distorting medium of their own desires.）
Source: Bertrand Russell : Mysticism and Logic and Other Essays, 1918, chapter 1
On the Importance of Knowing the Facts First: Harmonizing Knowledge, Feeling, and Will
As Kant established, the human spirit is composed of three elements: knowledge, feeling, and will. While it is essential to fulfill and harmonize all three, "knowledge" -- a firm grasp of the facts -- must take absolute priority.
If the foundation of factual perception is flawed, the resulting "feeling" will be misplaced, and actions driven by "will" will likely cause harm, no matter how earnest the intention. For instance, in the political arena, figures like Donald Trump exemplify how a deficiency in "knowledge" leads to distortions in both "feeling" and "will." The exercise of immense power based on such distorted perception inevitably risks inflicting unpredictable and detrimental consequences upon the world.
Furthermore, we see many politicians who, while avoiding any concrete proposals or roadmaps for implementation, repeatedly invoke "reform" as if it were a magical incantation. They excel at manipulating "will" and "feeling," yet they lack the crucial element of "knowledge" -- the cold, analytical assessment of the current situation.
These politicians, who prioritize forceful willpower over substance, are essentially viewing the world through what Bertrand Russell called "the distorting medium of their own desires." The fact that many voters are easily swayed by such slogans only exacerbates this distortion.
Before setting out to "do good," one must first strive to perceive the facts as they are. This intellectual integrity is the shortest path to achieving genuine good in an increasingly muddled world.
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