What is Truth?
Since ancient times philosophers
and wise men have argued and reasoned over truth. What defines it? How is it to
be understood? Just what should we make of the concept? Their writings are
cleverly constructed and reasoned. Ancients such Socrates, Plato and Aristotle reasoned
on these things, as have their more modern counterparts. Just to complicate
matters, in philosophical circles there is also the dispute between rationalism
and empiricism and their different perspectives. That is, how can we balance
out the effects of both logical reasoning and sensory experiences to arrive at
the truth? Can the human experience itself be trusted?
We are left asking if any of this
type of rationale is correct. Are they all missing some very elementary and
vital information in their clever reasoning and arguments?
Some philosophers have concluded
that ‘Truth’ is a relative term that depends upon the situation that a person
finds themselves in. According to the rationale of one ancient philosopher; in
one city women were treated one way, and in another they were treated another.
According to him, each was the accepted custom and therefore true for their
environment or situation. From this, and other like arguments, he reasoned that
truth was relative.
In modern terminology we may at
times call this situational ethics, where right or wrong, truth or error is
determined by its specific situation. Another example is seen during times of
war, when nation fights nation. Each nation selects and trains combatants, and
vests them with authority to kill soldiers and sometimes civilians from the
opposing nation. In normal times this would be considered murder, but during
times of war soldiers are encouraged and subsequently rewarded for these actions.
We may add another dimension to
this consideration, and that is the danger that intelligent and confident people
face. Intelligence and acquired knowledge are often coupled with pride and feelings
of superiority that may make it difficult for gifted people to accept things
that are outside of their existing knowledge or experience. Gifted individuals
are also often respected and listened to, which encumbers them with the need
and expectation to express opinions.
This is most dangerous when they
also have superior communication skills, as the tendency is to publicly and eloquently
speak and philosophise on subjects that they may have little real knowledge of.
However, because they have greater skills than the majority of people, their
words often sound plausible, rational and intelligent. Lastly and most
importantly, because they have these skills, they are often exalted to
positions of power and influence to become thought leaders in society. They
subsequently influence areas such as politics, business, science and even religion.
In other words, they often become part of that group we have already mentioned
who have vested interests, and are most advantaged in the present world.
Returning to the subject of this chapter,
we see that many thinkers have concluded that there are no absolute truths,
only relative truths. Is this right?
Are any of these groups and their
rationale really helpful in our search for ‘The Truth’, or do they rather cloud
the issue with non-relevant information, or even specious reasoning? Is the
basis of truth really established or correct when based upon man’s perspective
or a form of humanism, where man becomes the measure of all things?
Truths and the Truth
There are the general truths we
all recognise, such as truthfulness seen in honesty and integrity, as well as
the truths seen in the laws of mathematics and physics – which we might call
empirical truths. All of these are truths in themselves, and science makes use
of these to try and make sense of the world we live in. The laws of nature are
certainly not relative truths. Nature works by laws that, as far as we know,
cannot be broken. Certainly no man is able to do so.
We discern these truths and laws
through our senses by the rigorous use of the scientific approach, using
empirical methodology. This is the modern approach, and it is a development of the
approach laid down by Aristotle some 2,400 years ago. Yet, for all its apparent
wisdom, this approach may give us no more perspective and insight than that of
a fish in a fish tank. Like the fish, we may know and understand our immediate
environment, and through the glass may see into a larger room with some
clarity, and even have glimpses through the windows to an even larger world outside.
Yet, because we live in a contained environment we are thereby limited in how
far we can see and what we can perceive.
The reality
of this situation is quite apparent in science, for we have seen in recent times
that scientists have come to realise that many of their assumptions about the
natural world and the greater universe have been incorrect. Over the past
decade or so, Quantum Theory (Physics/Mechanics) has concluded that the
universe remains largely unknown to us.
Scientists have now radically changed
everything they understand about the universe. One prominent scientist has said
that all the physics books that are pre 2000 are out of date, and actually
teach wrong ideas because they are based upon incorrect theory. Quantum
theory has caused scientists to conclude that about 96% of the contents of the
cosmos are invisible to current methods of direct detection.
Scientists know that something is affecting
the universe, galaxies and galaxy clusters. That something is ‘dark’ or
unknown to them. It
was previously believed that the whole universe was composed of ‘Atoms’ and
‘Energy’ (this is called Particle Physics, but it has been largely abandoned by
Physicists). It is now believed that the universe is composed of approximately;
73% Dark Energy, 23% Dark Matter, 4% Energy & Atoms = Stars and Planets
(Particle Physics).
How do we relate all these things
to the questions we are considering? They remind us of the limitations of human
knowledge and wisdom. This means that when we put all the pieces together and
try and determine the larger questions of life and of purpose we will run into
limitations set by our perceptions and our environment. Science and reason are
limited by our finite existence.
What is particularly relevant
here is that modern science and the scientific method is affected and limited
by a philosophical position or approach called ‘philosophical naturalism’ or
‘materialism’ for short. According to the scientific method, only natural
processes are considered to be scientific and therefore acceptable
explanations. Yet Quantum theory has shown that we know just about nothing of
the universe we live in. This is a quandary to the natural philosopher, and to
those who adopt the philosophical construct called ‘materialism’.
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Diagram 5. - Materialism’s Limited Perspective
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Is there some greater purpose
outside and beyond our limited sensory perceptions and beyond our ability to
fully comprehend through the exercise of these perceptions? Is there more?
Yes, there is much more. We should
not be in darkness on these matters. Absolute truth and purpose can only reside
in and with the God of Truth, which is one of the titles God uses (see. Deut.32:4, Psalm.31:5, Isaiah.65:15). We are told
repeatedly in the Bible that the God of Heaven, the creator of all things, has
spoken and revealed both himself and his will. We are constantly told that if
we seek to know His purpose and His truth, then we must go to Him and only Him to
hear what he says on these matters.
Interestingly, both, Moses in the
Old Testament and Paul in the New Testament, claim that this information and
knowledge has always been available. You do not need to ascend to heaven to
find it, or travel beyond the sea or into the deep to locate it. It is freely
available to all, and it is found in the Word of God – the book we call The
Bible.
Deut.30:11-14.
For this commandment which I command you
today is not too mysterious for you,
nor is it far off. It is not in heaven,
that you should say, Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that
we may hear it and do it? Nor is it
beyond the sea, that you should say, Who will go over the sea for us and
bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that
you may do it.
Rom.10:8. But what
does it say? “The word is near you,
in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the
word of faith which we preach):
This word is described in other
places as the word of truth. It is also said to be from God, and that God
desires the truth to be in his people. Moreover, the scriptures also tell us
that ‘the truth’ is unique in the world, and only comes from one source, that
is from God.
Psalm.51:6.
Behold, You
desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me
to know wisdom.
John.17:17.
Jesus prayed to God his Father and said of his closest apostles - Sanctify them
by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent
them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may
be sanctified by the truth.
John.8:32-33.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed
Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John.14:6.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me”.
Rom.1:25.
of certain who went astray from God, it was said of them … who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and
worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed
forever. Amen.
From these words, and the many
like them in the Bible, it is evident that ‘the truth’ speaks of the truth of
God’s word, which contains His revealed will and purpose. That is, God’s
revelation is found in the book we call the Bible. This truth was displayed or
revealed in the character and life of Jesus Christ, who is called in the Bible
‘The Word
Made Flesh’ (John.1:14). So much was
this so, that he could say to his closest disciples the following very
challenging ideas -
John.14:7. If you had
known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and
have seen Him.
In this place Jesus is not saying
that he is God. He is rather saying that his character and life are in totality
one with God’s. If a person knows Christ he would also know God. If a person
could see Jesus for who he was and what he stood for, it would be as if looking
upon God, for Jesus declared God.
John.1:18.
No one has
seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom
of the Father, He has declared Him.
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