Truth Reconciled

Introduction

Truth is a popular subject these days. The unparalleled connectedness of the world today has revealed a vast spectrum of ideas and opinions on every subject. We hear news about people we will never meet and places we will never visit. How can we verify what we are being told? How can we know who is right about anything? Where can we find the truth, and how would we even recognize it?

In this post, I will talk about the truth and the importance of knowing the truth. I will go over its characteristics and describe how it behaves. My goal is for the reader to come out with a clearer vision of what real truth feels like, and a greater desire to seek it.

Truth describes objective reality

Objective reality is the real, actual state of affairs. Objective reality is completely independent of the mind considering it. It is what it is, whether or not you believe it, and no matter how you feel about it.

Truth consists of statements that describe or concord with objective reality. True statements accurately portray objective reality; they provide a description of reality as it really is. I’m being very redundant here to try and get the point across. If a statement transmits a message that conforms with actual, objective reality, then the statement is true. Otherwise, it is false.

Here’s a simple example: “There is water on Earth.” This is a true statement. Denying it is arguably insane. If we can all agree on the meaning of the statement, then there should be no disagreement among us on this subject. Anyone who disagrees can go take a sample of the ocean and test it for themselves to see that there is water.

Of course, some people may disagree anyway, despite the evidence. It’s possible that an organization may develop that teaches that there is no water on Earth, and that we’ve all been deceived by the government. Maybe they will grow in numbers and convince many people through fallacious arguments. They might even infiltrate governments and write their false beliefs into law. But no matter how many people believe otherwise, the truth is the truth: There is water on Earth.

Truth is well-defined 

Some might argue that the truth is subjective because there are many statements whose truth value (whether it is true or false) depends on who is saying the words. For example, suppose there are two people in the same room with a uniform steady temperature. One says, “It’s hot,” and the other says, “It’s cold.” If they are being honest, then they are both telling the truth. But the reason they seem to disagree is not because reality is different for one compared to the other, but because they are using different definitions of the words “hot” and “cold.” If they used the same definitions then they would inevitably arrive at the same conclusion.

The truth value of any statement cannot be determined until the definitions of the words are known. The same holds for subjective pronouns such as “I” and “you.” The meaning of the word depends on who is saying it to whom, but the underlying reality is completely independent of the arbitrarily defined words we use to describe it. Whenever honest people agree on definitions, they will agree on what is being referred to and what is being said about it, and therefore they will agree on what is true.

A correct understanding of definitions is vital to any truthful communication. Many, if not most, of the disagreements we have in life are due to misunderstandings. This happens when a communicated message is interpreted differently from what was intended, and it is usually due to different interpretations of the meanings of words, phrases, or actions. Conflicts of this nature can usually be resolved by a heartfelt, honest discussion, where the parties involved do their best to see things from the others’ point of view. When the truth is revealed, feelings of anger or resentment tend to subside.

Truth is not a perspective 

Many people today believe that the truth is relative, that each person has their “own truth” which depends on their personal situation and beliefs. But what they are referring to is actually just plain “perspective,” not objective truth.

For example, suppose I place a labeled bottled beverage between me and you, such that the brand name and logo are facing you and the nutrition facts are facing me. We are then each asked to say what is written on the bottle. I will say that there is a table of nutrition facts written on the bottle, while you will say that the brand name is written on the bottle. So the truth is different for each of us, right? Wrong! The truth is that the can has the brand name on one side and the nutrition facts on the other side.

What you see is your perspective, which only allows you to observe a small portion of reality, not the full picture. If you try to claim that the can does not display nutrition facts, then you are simply exposing your ignorance. Come around to my side and you will see. Your individual perspective is very limited. You cannot use it to define truth. Otherwise you could sue the company that produced the beverage for not printing the nutrition facts on the bottle. Go ahead and try it. See if you can win the case with an argument based on “your” truth, because you didn’t look at the other side of the bottle.

The main point I’m trying to make with this example is this: objective truth is not defined by you, and it is not defined by me. The fact that you only see one side of the bottle does not mean that the bottle only has that one side. When you’re trying to study a real or abstract object, you have to go and study it objectively. That means you have to remove yourself from your contemplation of it.

Your physical position relative to the bottle is a bias, which results in an incomplete and skewed view of reality. To remove that bias, you have to walk around the bottle to view it from every angle. Another bias is your limited eyesight. The bottle might have microscopic writing that is too small to be seen with the naked eye. It might also have writing that is only visible in ultraviolet or infrared wavelengths. Another bias may come from your assumptions about the meaning of “writing.” You might be looking for letters, while the bottle may have a statement written in a pictographic script.

If you believe the truth is determined by what you personally have observed, without investigating thoroughly, you will end up being very wrong about everything. In the case of the bottle, being wrong probably doesn’t matter. It’s not like you bet your whole fortune on getting it right…or did you? Could there be a metaphorical bottle that is vitally important to your future, that you haven’t taken the time to investigate? Would you be devastated to find out that this important bottle did not say what you thought it said, or that there were words on it that you were not aware of? 

I’m sure there are some truths that you really don’t want to get wrong. Is that the reason why you don’t examine it? Are you afraid of finding out that you were wrong? All the more reason to take a closer look, and avoid basing all of your future decisions on an erroneous belief.

Truth is liberating 

Falsehoods permeate our society to the point that in many cases the truth seems impossible to know. Those who profess to inform us of the truth tend to spread falsehoods. These include journalists, politicians, activists, vendors, professors, teachers, preachers, and nearly every person in the world. Some lie intentionally for money, fame, power, or other selfish reasons, but most do so unwittingly—they really believe the falsehoods they are spreading. 

Few people value the truth enough to truly investigate it, because our society offers no incentive to do so. We seem to have developed a culture of sophistry, in which we value the appearance of knowledge more than actual knowledge. In this world, a published paper is more valuable than a brilliant idea, a degree is more valuable than a real education, an entertaining story is worth more than an accurate telling of events, and seeming good is more important than being good. Whatever sells is what we value.

So many of us are trapped in fraudulent illusions of what life is supposed to be. We are prisoners to false paradigms engineered with manipulative intent. False beliefs drain us of hope and stunt our progress. Regular people are radicalized by deceptive teachings and are driven to do harm. Those who lack knowledge of the truth are slaves to falsehood. We cannot do what is right if we do not know what is right.

However, I don’t believe the future will be so bleak. Many people are realizing what is happening and are beginning to grow in wisdom as they seek for truth. As people are becoming more aware of what is truly believable and what is not, they are building a resilience to the tactics of deceivers and have a growing desire to hear valid arguments. These individuals can no longer be manipulated and driven wherever the wind wants to take them. They are free to explore independently. When this kind of awakening is widespread, it is fertile ground for enlightenment, and I look forward to seeing what will grow.

Truth unifies

The truth is always consistent with itself, meaning that any given truth is always in agreement with all other truths. Falsehoods, by definition, are inconsistent with the truth, and almost always inconsistent with other falsehoods. It follows that truth is self-supporting, while falsehoods are self-defeating.

Because of this, a society that values truth will tend to unify, while a society that despises truth will tend to divide. Thus we see a worldwide scientific community collaborating across countries and continents, while politicians endlessly stoke the fires of conflict in every nation. One group seeks the truth, while the other seeks power regardless of the truth.

The same applies to our own circles of friends and family. Relationships based on falsehoods cannot last. Mutual trust is necessary for any type of union, and trust is only built by openness and honesty. Strong marriages and families value and accept the truth about each other. They really know each other, rather than knowing each other’s fake facades. It is hard to feel accepted in any group where your true identity is not fully seen. 

Conclusion 

I love the truth. I love how reliable and trustworthy it is. It is a firm and immovable foundation, impossible to destroy. It is an anchor that keeps us rooted amidst swells of uncertainty, as long as we cling to it. I love how powerful it is. It can change hearts, change cultures, and change the world, always for the better.

If you want to be on the right side of history, don’t fuss over things that are unclear, confusing, and uncertain, just be on the side of truth. Think about what you really know to be true. What can you swear on? What are you willing to give your life for? Focus on those things. In time, truth will prevail. It always does.