Truth - What's that?
For the next couple of days, I'd like to discuss the concept of 'truth': what it is and what it is not. Today I'd just like to throw out a couple of phrases that I've heard all different people say (especially when I went to college back in the 90's and also recently among many people preparing to become teachers in K-12 schools).
I'd like all of you who are reading this to think about the following statements. What's wrong with these statements? Is there a response you can give to the following statements to show why they are logically problematic? Does the statement collapse on itself? Is there a misuse of the word "truth" or "true"?
1. "There is no truth."
2. "I don't think it's true because I don't like it."
3. "Truth is just a state of mind."
4. "No one can claim to know truth."
5. "It's just my truth."
6. "That may be true for you but not for me."
Are there any other statements you've heard that misuse the words "truth" or "true"?
I decided to start on this topic, because if we aren't on the same page as far as the concept of "truth" is concerned (that is, if we all have different or even incorrect understandings of the word), the next main topics will be nearly meaningless. So for this next week we'll aim to get a handle on what truth in general is.
Labels: Apologetics Tools
posted by Heather R. at 6/12/2006 02:34:00 PM
7 Comments:
Now I'd like to give my own answers to the statements I listed in this blog. If anyone has any other answers, feel free to share. Participation is gooood! :)
1. I'd answer with the question "Is that true?" Here's the problem with the statement: it collapses on itself. Think about this... if there is "no truth" then the statement "there is no truth" also can't be true. It is using the very thing that it's denying. The person who says "there is no truth" is assuming the statement is true while denying there is truth).
2. To keep my answer to this short and sweet, just because someone doesn't "like" something doesn't change whether it is true. There are a bunch of other ways people say this statement. For example (though this is a sensitive topic, and yes we'll discuss the issue of hell in more detail later on), "I don't believe in Christianity because if I do, I'm sending people to hell." But this isn't what Christianity says at all. Our act of believing doesn't send non-believers to hell; and denial of the existence of hell doesn't get people into heaven. Believing doesn't cause hell to exist. And the opposite applies as well... not believing in Christianity doesn't cause hell to not exist either. (Again, we'll get into this later. It's a big issue.)
3. I'd respond with a bit of humor probably. "Would it be ok if I try to convince myself that you don't exist? Do you think it'll work?" This sorta ties in with what I wrote in #2.
4. My response would be "how do you know that your 'claim' is true?" This ties into #1.
5 & 6. This is confusing "truth" with "opinion". Truth doesn't belong to any one person. Either something is true or it is false... it's not yours or mine. When people say statements like these, they are actually saying "It's my belief" or "This is what I believe/think is true."
If any of these are confusing, or you want me to explain a bit more on any of these, please let me know either by email or here in the comments section.
Again, participation is greatly appreciated! And please don't feel intimidated from participating, especially if you have a question that's just itching to be asked! It's designed for all of us to learn from each other (me too!) in as safe of an environment as possible.
6/13/2006 11:20 PM
Hiya.
I had pretty much the same responses to your questions, though it seems my answers weren't published.
i'm curious to see what other people are sayign on this subject. and i do have to say that i like your answer to number 1....
your right, it completley collapses on itself.
6/14/2006 11:30 AM
Hi WB! I adjusted some of the settings to make it easier for you all to post. If you still have a copy of the other stuff you were trying to post, try putting it up now.
Thanks for your input and yeah, I hope others would be interested in posting their thoughts too *hint hint*! :)
6/14/2006 12:48 PM
thanks.^.^
here was my responses~
1. "There is no truth." i think thats stupid. for one, like your answer, this comment collapses on itself. there is truth, and anyone who is christian knows that God is truth.
2. "I don't think it's true because I don't like it." Just because you don't liek somethign doesn't mean it's not true. the world doesn't work that way. Prime example: Theres a war going on right now, and the truth of that is not affected by whether or not people like it. the truth is that it's still happening.
3. "Truth is just a state of mind." truth isn't just a state of mind because truth isn't in anyones mind. it's not something that you create, it's the solidness of what is there regardless of what any 'mind' may percieve.
4. "No one can claim to know truth." Thats ridiculous. anyone who can claim to know God can claim to know truth. Saying otherwise is babbling nonsense. and even in everyday life, if you know that something is true and valid then you can claim to know truth.
5. "It's just my truth." Like heather said, truth doesn't belong to any one person. truth is there, for us as people to view. it doesn't belong to us. there is no seperate truth for seperate people, it doesn't work that way.
6. "That may be true for you but not for me." Once again, truth doesn't belong to any one person. no one may claim to 'own' truth. when something is true, it's true all around, which is why it's so easy to spot the truth in a pack of lies. truth doesn't change.
if i'm wrong on any of these statements, someone please make me aware?
6/14/2006 4:59 PM
Hi WB,
I like what you said for each statement. I think you're right for all of them, and I'd like to add one thing to what you wrote on #1. All philosophers, theist and atheist as well, who study the concept of "truth" (which means ALL philosophers) will agree that there is truth. They all agree with the statement "there is truth". Why? Because you CAN'T say the opposite. Their argument goes something like this: Either there is truth or there is no truth. The statement "there is no truth" MUST be false (because it collapses on itself). Therefore, there is truth.
(By the way, just to let everyone know, "argument" doesn't mean quarreling here. An argument is where one presents a series of claims (premises) and derives conclusions from those claims. Sometimes people might confuse "argument" with "quarreling". I'm going to be using the word "argument" a lot later on, so I just wanted to explain this.)
6/16/2006 10:51 AM
you are right.^.^ *heh* i've been quoted.
:D
6/18/2006 8:47 PM
Yea, thou art quoted, good and faithful WB!
GF, you're totally right. Yes, the Bible is based on truth. The thing is, we have to figure out how to convince non-believers of this (versus them believing the Da Vinci Code rubbish)... so we will get to that soon too!
6/18/2006 8:58 PM
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