Truth is a complex concept because it is not limited to objective facts. Truth has a subjective component that accommodates anomalies, diverse worldviews, issues of faith, psychology and much more.
In order to distinguish truth from myth, confirmation is necessary.
Accordingly, truth is a phenomena that informs us…adds to our body of knowledge…forms the foundation for usable concepts…has application to our lives…is verifiable or at least confirmed by actual experience.
Truth provides meaning to our experiences and deepens our understanding of our lives and the world around us.
The cautionary tale about truth is it is distinct from goodness, decency, or convenience. Truth can be cruel. Yet no matter how truth affects us, we are invariably made better by knowing the truth because we are closer to the reality defining our lives.
This is why we must seek truth. We need to be open to truth wherever it exists. It behooves us to set aside our differences in order to be receptive to truth.
As we consider our current political and social discourse, our greatest challenge to finding solutions is our unwillingness to be open to truth regardless of the source.
Thankfully, we are all truth seekers. Let that be your starting point to finding truth in your life.
2 replies on “What is this thing called truth?”
“what is truth?”
well … if the answer to this question is True, then it is circular; if the answer is Not True, then the question remains unanswered. so …
Definitions are inherently circular if you conflate content with characterization.