What is the Truth?

Lately, I have toyed with the simple notion of the truth and how it is applied in modern society. The dictionary defines the word truth, in part, as a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, or principle. This definition lends itself to a mathematical connotation…as one might say two plus two is four…the answer being then an undisputable and irrevocable fact. Another definition of the word truth, however, is an obvious or accepted fact; truism; platitude, which is quite different from the first definition and why I have chosen this topic for my latest blog. I'll explain.

We throw around the word truth as if everyone fully understands its meaning. In most cases, the truth we desire is yielded from the first definition I referenced. Your children may tell you the truth when asked about a situation, and if they do not, then they have lied. Witnesses in a court of law swear to tell the truth, and if they are found to be misrepresenting the facts, then they have perjured themselves. These are instances of undisputable facts that are verified as true and exist without further appraisal.

Once we delve into the second definition of truth, the waters muddy almost immediately. If truth exists as what is true, then how can the truth be associated with an accepted fact? The truth is…it can't.

We see this definition of truth applied much too often in society today. What people readily believe as true becomes true with little added thought or experimentation. Politicians have used this premise in the past to gain favor with the electorate on myriad platforms. The most noticeable example available today is global warming. We have been told that global warming is an undeniable reality from numerous sources, and yet no verified or indisputable facts exist to support this claim. Whether or not I believe global warming exists is irrelevant when making an assertion that it does or does not. What we do have is numerous politically inspired people trying to sway public opinion, usually for monetary gain, by passing off an opinion as the truth; i.e.: Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth." If there is money to be made, controlling public opinion then becomes the simple truth and the masses inevitably succumb hook, line, and sinker.

Global warming is just one example of how the truth is manufactured in modern day politicking. The war in Iraq and weapons of mass destruction are other examples that come to mind. The truth is, we don't know the truth and until we do, passing off an accepted belief or opinion as the truth is no different than a boldface lie.

I leave you with one additional illustration; in the early 15th century, the common truth of the day was that the world was flat. This was the accepted belief. It took a brave man to prove this untrue. Just a thought.