After reading the chapter on fact in Keep it Real, I thought about writing a post on the nature of truth. But, occupied with all of my other work, I let it slide from my thoughts and thus it slipped from my mind. However, today in class we touched on this topic again and so it has returned to the forefront of my focus. First, when I think of the word fact, I think of the word truth. But what is truth? When someone presents something as the truth, what does this mean? When I consider this further, I think of three primary things: how does this truth relate to reality; how does this truth relate to the personal perspective of the one presenting it; and how does this truth relate to those who would refute its legitimacy? The first of these questions addresses truth as it corresponds to itself. Does this “truth” measure up to the idealist vision of the concept of Truth? Does this “truth” pertain to reality; is it real, is it a fact, is it True? If we say that the United States spends more money per year on military expenditures than any other nation, this is true. It is a solid fact.
You can look it up: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/spending.htm
But, if we say that the United states spends more money per year on military expenditures then the next ten countries below them, combined, this is simply not true, for it is only the next six, combined, that we spend more than…
The second question considers truth as a personal belief. For instance, something may be considered true for one person, but not for another. For each person, the viewpoint is their own, as is the truth. From their perspective, they exist in their own world, and so they draw their own conclusions and make their own truths. Who is to say that either is right or wrong? Who, but a god-like being, could even judge these personal truths in terms of right and wrong, in terms of Truth? But, the other side of this coin is that there are some topics, while widely believed to be true, simply do not seem to be so. This is called a myth. Used in this sense, the definition is as follows: a widely held but mistaken belief. Despite this, as I said before, who is to decide what is true and what is not? For example, when we think of terrorism, which I understand is a touchy subject, specifically because of what I am talking about, we see that there are two truths to the term. One, the popular view, is that terrorism is something we must fight, something reserved for those who would serve some evil entity in carrying out devilish attacks on peaceful and innocent people. The second, a less popular view, is that terrorism is any act of violence against any people, period. Under the first point of view, most american citizens believe we are fighting terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan, they see those who would attack our soldiers there as terrorists. Under the second point of view, there are many people in Iraq and Afghanistan who see those who attack our soldiers there as freedom fighters, rebelling against a foreign power's occupation and oppression of their country. Who is to say they are wrong? Who is to say we are right?
The third question asks if those who would deny the truth of a given subject stand to suffer from it being accepted as truth. This also relates to the personal perspective of the previous paragraph. For example, some people will refuse to accept something as true simply because it is too difficult to accept. This is called denial, and it is a very powerful entity. There are also those who may try to disprove what they perceive as myth. Most atheists’ take this stance on Religion. Then there are those who may stand to lose something, like their reputation, or freedom, if the truth is not refuted. O.J. Simpson is one man who is widely believed to have actually accomplished this goal of bypassing the truth, however there is no real way to know if this is true or not. The further you delve into the nature of truth, the more and more you begin to see that it is an intangible and often elusive subject, especially when one tries to discuss something as intangible as the nature of truth itself.
Like the word Truth, which really represents a metaphysical concept, there are other words that share in its obscurity; words and concepts such as Beauty, Love, Death, and Spirit. How does the concept of Truth relate to these subjects? Who is beautiful? What is love? Why is death? How is spirit? These are very relevant questions without certain answers. Furthermore, this desire for Truth seems to stem from the scientific desire for certainty in all things. They say we cannot know unless we are certain. But following this way of understanding, then we can never know anything about Love, Death, or Spirit, for these are intangible things, they cannot be known through science, or understood by the intellect alone, but only with the heart, through feeling. This is what enabled the religious institutions to exist as the single greatest power throughout most of history. They relied on the peoples’ inner intuition and feeling that there was something beyond us, something greater. This is not a matter of Truth, for who knows, I certainly do not. In fact, the only thing I do know for sure is that I don’t know anything for sure, and such is the paradox of Truth. The only thing I know of Truth, is that I know nothing of Truth. Personally I feel that it doesn’t exist, in the higher sense, and yet, I believe it exists for every person. Just as humanity is made rich by its unique individuals, so different and yet so similar, somehow all sharing in a common existence, a common experience, so too is the nature of Truth made rich by its varying levels of being, by its multi-dimensional and multi-colored reality. What is Truth? Who knows! This is a wonderful realization, for Truth is really just another concept to contemplate, a virtuous ideal to inspire our aspiration. Therefore, with this in mind, let us create our own Truth!
You can look it up: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/spending.htm
But, if we say that the United states spends more money per year on military expenditures then the next ten countries below them, combined, this is simply not true, for it is only the next six, combined, that we spend more than…
The second question considers truth as a personal belief. For instance, something may be considered true for one person, but not for another. For each person, the viewpoint is their own, as is the truth. From their perspective, they exist in their own world, and so they draw their own conclusions and make their own truths. Who is to say that either is right or wrong? Who, but a god-like being, could even judge these personal truths in terms of right and wrong, in terms of Truth? But, the other side of this coin is that there are some topics, while widely believed to be true, simply do not seem to be so. This is called a myth. Used in this sense, the definition is as follows: a widely held but mistaken belief. Despite this, as I said before, who is to decide what is true and what is not? For example, when we think of terrorism, which I understand is a touchy subject, specifically because of what I am talking about, we see that there are two truths to the term. One, the popular view, is that terrorism is something we must fight, something reserved for those who would serve some evil entity in carrying out devilish attacks on peaceful and innocent people. The second, a less popular view, is that terrorism is any act of violence against any people, period. Under the first point of view, most american citizens believe we are fighting terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan, they see those who would attack our soldiers there as terrorists. Under the second point of view, there are many people in Iraq and Afghanistan who see those who attack our soldiers there as freedom fighters, rebelling against a foreign power's occupation and oppression of their country. Who is to say they are wrong? Who is to say we are right?
The third question asks if those who would deny the truth of a given subject stand to suffer from it being accepted as truth. This also relates to the personal perspective of the previous paragraph. For example, some people will refuse to accept something as true simply because it is too difficult to accept. This is called denial, and it is a very powerful entity. There are also those who may try to disprove what they perceive as myth. Most atheists’ take this stance on Religion. Then there are those who may stand to lose something, like their reputation, or freedom, if the truth is not refuted. O.J. Simpson is one man who is widely believed to have actually accomplished this goal of bypassing the truth, however there is no real way to know if this is true or not. The further you delve into the nature of truth, the more and more you begin to see that it is an intangible and often elusive subject, especially when one tries to discuss something as intangible as the nature of truth itself.
Like the word Truth, which really represents a metaphysical concept, there are other words that share in its obscurity; words and concepts such as Beauty, Love, Death, and Spirit. How does the concept of Truth relate to these subjects? Who is beautiful? What is love? Why is death? How is spirit? These are very relevant questions without certain answers. Furthermore, this desire for Truth seems to stem from the scientific desire for certainty in all things. They say we cannot know unless we are certain. But following this way of understanding, then we can never know anything about Love, Death, or Spirit, for these are intangible things, they cannot be known through science, or understood by the intellect alone, but only with the heart, through feeling. This is what enabled the religious institutions to exist as the single greatest power throughout most of history. They relied on the peoples’ inner intuition and feeling that there was something beyond us, something greater. This is not a matter of Truth, for who knows, I certainly do not. In fact, the only thing I do know for sure is that I don’t know anything for sure, and such is the paradox of Truth. The only thing I know of Truth, is that I know nothing of Truth. Personally I feel that it doesn’t exist, in the higher sense, and yet, I believe it exists for every person. Just as humanity is made rich by its unique individuals, so different and yet so similar, somehow all sharing in a common existence, a common experience, so too is the nature of Truth made rich by its varying levels of being, by its multi-dimensional and multi-colored reality. What is Truth? Who knows! This is a wonderful realization, for Truth is really just another concept to contemplate, a virtuous ideal to inspire our aspiration. Therefore, with this in mind, let us create our own Truth!
