Truth
What is it?
I've been struggling with this one a bit. Who defines truth and how can we recognize it? Is truth subjective?
Just thought I'd throw this out for anyone who wants to talk about it with me.
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Staying Alive
12 years ago
2 comments:
I think that 'truth' implies some kind of absolute finality.
Dictionary -> TRUTH = "That which is considered to be the supreme reality and to have the ultimate meaning and value of existence."
I like to think of a courtroom scenario - everyone plays dumb, the defandant denies everything, the prosecution twists facts to 'sound' more convincing to the judge, but the bottom line is... - and we all know somebody KNOWS what really happened - the 'truth'.
When all speculation, hidden motives, and comflicting opinions are stripped away - the truth is what remains. Unchangable, the Standard...
Sorry to use Modernist ideals here, but some things just ARE cut-and-dried.
Having said that, I think you are asking about more specific 'truths' - not one all-encompassing truth - the individual truth in each individual situation.
Your questions are difficult to answer. I would say that, by definition, truth is not subjective. However, one's 'interpretation' of a truth would definitely be subjective. That's where the uncertainty lies.
You would have to agree that 2 + 2 = 4... always. You take 2 of something, add another two, and you count 4 in total. Prety simple and universally understood. Why? Probably because it can be easily proven and reproduced (that's the basis of the 'scientific method'). Sure, someone probably first told you that 2+2 = 4, but you went on and proved it by adding it up yourself. Now you accept that truth without question.
Some things in life are not so simple. Some things like one-time events cannot be reproduced. Other things like emotions and feelings cannot be measured. There are also things that we are told are true, but we have insufficient evidence or concrete facts to be able to prove.
These are the things where another word comes into play - Faith. I'm Not talking about 'religious' faith necessarily. Even Science has a surprisingly large 'faith' component to it.
Dictionary (non-religious) -> FAITH = "Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence."
Here's an example where Faith meets Truth: I am driving up to a bridge over a river. Since my life depends on that bridge holding strong while I cross it, what to I do? Do I stop, get out, inspect the footings, expansion joints, integrity of the concrete suporting structures? or do I just follow the transport truck that just safely crossed it ahead of me? Sounds a bit silly, but the point is... The definition of 'truth' can be fulfilled in such a situation - and we call that 'faith'. The truth is that the Bridge is in fact strong enough for me to cross safely, but because I'm not an engineer and cannot prove it's intrinsic strength myself first-hand, I cross in faith - faith in the fact that I saw another larger vehicle safely cross it ahead of me.
When talking about spiritual 'truth', I believe that the same notions apply. I initially claimed Faith in God's existence and my need for him to save me from my self-destructive nature because I saw it evident in others' changed lives. Couldn't measure it, couldn't count it, couldn't even adequately describe it, but when I claimed that faith, I experienced what tose others did, and that reproduction made my Faith become my Truth as well.
Some thoughts that I hope will help you sort out your questions.
I'm curious as to how the "ancient" viewed truth. What their definition was and if it's changed over time.
Can there be different kinds of truth? The kind you describe is one but is there another kind. "What is truth for you may not be truth for me?"
Just some more thoughts.
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