Respecting reality and reason, over time, reduces error. You will "survive" better in a naturalistic sense if you know more facts.

We do these things to condition our reality to produce a reality where human flourishing is the most likely result.

I think it's important to add that we can become wise by the knowledge of other men, as well as learn from the mistakes of other men. The intelligent will do that. The not so intelligent will unknowingly wait for it to happen to them.