Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?
This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.
Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.
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Notes -
Suppose you know a secret about something.
And that secret would be profoundly distressing and traumatizing to a person if said person learned about it.
And there are no practical benefits to that person learning about it (ie learning about it would not incentivise said person to act in a way to protect themselves, or to do something beneficial in any way)
Do you think it would it be ethical to tell the secret to that person or not? What conditions are relevant in deciding whether to tell them or not?
Under the facts as you state them, no. Because you have not mentioned any benefits to anyone from disclosure. If an action only results in harm, then it seems to me that the action is wrongful. Your hypothetical would be more interesting if you posited some benefit from disclosure.
That is a pretty straightforward way to put it, and probably a good approach. But I want to challenge it. Some people want to know things even when it does not lead to anything good - such as a cheating partner, or that they are adopted, or they were conceived by sexual violence. Their life may be worse after, but they do not wish they stayed ignorant instead. Is that a good reason to tell them?
Yes, that's an example of a benefit: respecting the preferences/personhood/whatever of the other person. And of course there are other benefits to some of them, such as knowing they are adopted, which might get them access to info re susceptibility to genetic disease.
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