Philosophy of Truth ?

Ideal, All cultures seek truth. Yes, it matters.

Is there such a thing as a universal truth? If not, then I don't see how it is even possible to find "truth." If we all apply individual meanings to everything we experience, then how can there exist any universal truth? And if that is the case, then why would the search for truth matter?

Yes, Truth matters.

In logic, Truth is a conclusion, a condition opposed to False, the conclusion about the state of something in comparison. The human mind developed into a comparative engine able to draw logical conclusions about the state of something in question. The execution of logic in the human mind is not governed and so is subjective. In the digital world logic is pure and executed the same each time, in the human mind logic has no consistent rules so all kinds of conclusions exist. So can Truth really exist in the human mind or is the platform we have to work with not sufficient to reach such definite conclusions as absolute Truth.

I believe Truth can exist in the human mind only when the comparative engine becomes still. This seems to me the point of meditation and religious symbolism. The human thought process is a field of concepts and forms in conflict. To think about if Truth matters is to be in conflict with the idea or concept that Truth may not matter. Whether or not something matters is a question of its purpose, so then we ask ourselves if Truth has a purpose. Purpose is only attached to something in the human mind when an explanation is necessary to justify an action or the existence of something. To think Truth has purpose the same way that a car has purpose is a natural tendency, but wrong. Truth is independent of the human mind and does not need to be justified in its relationship to the human mind.

So what is Truth? Is it information? Knowledge? A feeling about something? Can it be possessed by a mind whose main function seems to be thinking, a process drunk with conceptual comparison? Is having knowledge being in a state of conclusion about the nature of things in comparison? But knowledge and information seem to have purpose and Truth does not. Is knowledge just a slice of Truth or is it something different? If I have the knowledge that a dog is an animal of a certain genus and species is that Truth? Does the dog recognize that it is a certain genus and species as Truth as well? It seems to me that Truth goes deeper that what we call knowledge or information. To search for Truth is to say that you do not have Truth, it exists outside your mind, but your mind will attempt find it. It seems to me that to search for Truth is to look for the definition of Truth, what it is in relation to you and your thoughts, because thoughts do not seem to inherently contain Truth and knowledge is bound by purpose that is outside of Truth. Truth should be recognized as independent from the conceptual world that we spend so much time operating within.

So can Truth be defined? Is it something that can be written or said, or understood as a conclusion of a body of knowledge? Or is the Truth that you are seeking something larger than definitions and validated ideas? I am curious to know what form you think Truth takes. It seems to me Truth happens as an experience similar to Infinity, not something gained as a body of knowledge. I am under the impression that those in search of Truth are also drawn to a deeper consciousness where the concepts and ideas that are debated on the surface cease and the experience of existence takes on a sublime and tranquil quality where nothing is negated, only accepted as what it is. This does not seem to me to happen while thinking, only while in pure observation of the world and how my life, mind, and body relate to it the rest of it.

I hope this was coherent. If you don't agree with what I have said please explain why so I may have a chance to change my mind if necessary.

If truth doesn't matter, what does?

Whose truth yours mine or the guy's next door. Truth is, in many instances, in the eyes of the beholder.

What has mattered in the world of man is the force of will to impose one's truth down the throats of others.

Notice the last few replies did not capitalize Truth. That is because you are talking about a different kind of truth, your personal rationalizations and realizations about the world. This is your personal truth. The Truth we are discussing is something else. We are discussing the Truth that exists outside your personal reality, outside everyones personal reality.

I don't necessarily believe this but some people would say that seeking Truth is like seeking the mind of God. Free from human thought and in pure observation of the universe. I don't personally think trying to express the idea of Truth does much good because if you understand the experience then you understand that it cannot be expressed as purely as it can be experienced. This frustrates people who really want to make a point. The others become poets.

become poets or start religions I should have said!

Actually, I was talking about objective truth, because I assumed that's what the thread was about. I just don't feel the need to fetishistically capitalise things for the hell of it.

as the Don Henley song goes"there is no truth ,just data to be munipulated."If I'm way off base let me know.

Capitalizing the word Truth is not a fetish, it is a way to communicate that there are different meanings of the same word. Just like saying I believe in god but not God. Don't be so quick to dismiss what you don't understand, you should have asked why first. By the way, its not really about subjective and objective, these still lie within your reasoning, don't you see that Truth is capitalized because it is outside of your reasoning. Oops, do I sound mystic? Must be my fetish for understanding the data and evidence I have been presented!

Re: Philosophy of Truth ?

TRUTH!!!!

Ahhh...yeah, truth matters.

Unfortuntely, the Ultimate Truth is simply not available to us -- and we have to settle for a rather poor runner up -- the truth.

Often "the truth" is acknowledgement of the fact that we don't know THE TRUTH.

truth
Frank, how brave of you to jump into this murky hole. I thought our Philosophy of Self was murky....essh.

Truth... How do you define truth? As a statement that doesn't seem to be contradicting to any other of these "truths" you have built around yourself? I don't know if truth as fact which is totally true and undebatable matters. We need ideas that can keep us ignorant from overthinking certain things. We need ideas and beliefs based on something for we don't randomly babble incoherently. Universal truth isn't possible I think. I think it's important we have something we call truth. Think about yourself without any truths. I wouldn't be able to write this if I didn't believe in some abused belief I take as fact.

NNY, The reason truth is difficult to define is because it's dynamic, and it's different from one person to the next or from one period to the next. Truth is in the eye of the beholder. The first question that is difficult, if not impossible to answer, is "what is reality?"

truth
Now, C.I., that's better. I prefer to talk about Reality, the nature of things, what is the case, what is real versus what is unreal, and the like. And this is itself not too free of the murkiness of the original question. When talking about "truth" I think about propositions about the nature of the world of things and situations. A statement that can verified or falsified is, of course, the most acceptable of truth statement/proposition. But I can think of propositions that I hold to be the case but which cannot be verified. So what is there to do?

So, c.i. and others, is there a universal truth? Are we pondering if truths exist in different subject areas? E.g., must I consult different authorities when I look for answers to (1)how do I guide my daughters and (2)How do I invest my money in funds that might be worrisome, such as exploitative investments?

One thought: is there a truth about what governs daily life? Must we decide if a belief in Jesus Christ over-arches what we do day-to-day? If so, is that belief based on what a certain church says that he taught? And how does one learn those truths that ought to guide them..

Am I to be governed by an authority as I deal with my life from day to day? Am I convinced that the Authority that I might choose is authentic?

The longer I live, the more I am convinced that I must make my decisions outside of an Authority that tells me what to believe.

truth
Kara, unfortunately our system of education didn't teach you--or me--that a long time ago.