My post yesterday got some push back comments on what is truth. While I agree that what is truth is a many sided jewel that must be examined within its context, that is not to say all we can ever do is sit in circles contemplating our navels and discussing the meaning of truth. If that's what we did we would never progress. The reality is we make determinations on what is truth all the time. How we reach our conclusions may differ, but determining the truth is a common thing to do.
Before I get any further, let's briefly review some of the basics. First, my definition of truth. Truth is an accurate description of reality.
Second, why is it important to find the truth? At the bottom line, get the description wrong and you may die. Hence, finding the truth is critical to our longevity.
Third, once the truth is determined, I believe it is universal. That is, it is the same for everyone, whether they believe the truth or not. Whether they are White, Black, Brown or Yellow. Republican or Democrat. The truth is the truth.
Fourth, my discussion will not end the debate on what is truth. That debate has raged for centuries and will probably do so for more to come. But I hope you can understand where I am coming from, even if you don't agree with me.
That said, to determine truth, people have used various tools. Some look to the great philosophers. Others look to religion. Others look to Nature to reveal her truths.
Science itself grew out of a need to create a tool to better determine the truth. Rather than sitting on the steps of the Parthenon discussing truth, people decided to create theories and then to test them (see the debate between inductive versus deductive logic). Does the Earth circle the Sun or is it the opposite? Is disease caused by spirits or bacteria?
Another tool for determine truth is the courts. Witnesses testify that what they say is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. What is decided may or may not be based on reality but we nonetheless must make the determination. We cannot do otherwise. Life itself would become a confused babel of conflicting stories if we didn't.
So what was I talking about yesterday? Let me explain what I mean by giving you a recent example. If people say they are concerned with traditional marriage and family values, do these people then do everything they can to enable everyone to have a decent place to live, food to eat, health care, and a good school to send their children to? Do these same people who so revere marriage also then want to make divorce illegal? That is, if marriage is something sanctified by God, who are they to thwart His will with a civil court proceeding to dissolve that marriage?
In conclusion, while finding the truth may be a slippery endeavor, not everyone has problems determining the truth. Our founding fathers knew what the truth was. In July of 1776 they wrote: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. -- That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it..."
Truth that was self-evident. In other words, it was so obvious that only those who refused to acknowledge the truth could deny it.
We can, and must decide what is truth, test whether we are right, and move on. Thus, one of the paradoxes of life is that while we may never know the truth, we have to make assumptions as to what that is, determine if it conforms with reality, and then move on. The alternative is to have philosophical discussions that provide much heat, but no light and, more importantly, will surely lead to our destruction.
Have a Great Weekend, Everyone - Aloha!
