What is Truth?

 

What is truth? And who defines what truth is? Aristotle had a lot to say about truth and falsity.

“To say of what is that it is not, or of what is not that it is, is false, while to say of what is that it is, and of what is not that it is not, is true”. ~ Aristotle, Metaphysics

“…being true or false depends on a combination and separation in judgement.” ~ Aristotle, Metaphysics Book VI, c.4 1027 b 20

"As there are in the mind thoughts which do not involve truth or falsity, and also those which must be either true or false, so it is in speech. For truth and falsity imply combination and separation". ~     Aristotle, De interpretatione, c.1

To me, it sounds like Aristotle was big on truth.

So what is truth?

Well, Dictionary.com says: “the quality or being true, genuine, actual, or factual…something that is true as opposed to false.”

Merriam-Webster.com defined metaphysical truth as: “…the truth of ultimate reality as partly or wholly transcendent of perceived actuality and experience.”

Hmmm…still not answering the question. So now, how about we venture into my world and view on truths?

Force Fed “Truths”

Yep, we’ve been force fed truths in accordance with cultural, societal, religious, and perhaps familial beliefs. We were given a basis, a foundation as to what others gauge as truth.

For example: we have been given a truth that our sky is blue (or grey or brown, depending on where you live). Okay, but who determined what blue is? And what and when did the social consensus agree to a standardized definition of blue?

Granted it does make verbal and written communication easier.

So by a societal agreement the truth is that the sky is blue.

So someone, somewhere and some when created, held and passed on a standardized set of beliefs to be “truths”. These are laws or rules to keep society under control and following the same playbook as it were; for structure.

But, if that’s the case, why do we have so many different truths across ... Read More

by Jan Toomer