What is truth? I see no reason for which we should pursue truth if we cannot overcome this question. If we do not define the object of our search, we will not recognize it once it has been found. Assuming we can define truth, there is yet another question we must answer: do we want truth? Without properly addressing these questions, the search for truth will remain a futile expenditure of human effort.
I ask again, what is truth? In order to move forward, past definition, we must agree upon a single definition to base our search on. For me, truth seems to be some general fact that is undeniable.
(Def. 1) Truth: A statement that is completely undeniable.
For example, all humans die. To date, this is truth because there has been no instance in which a human did not die. The problem with the example, however, is that we cannot prove this will always be true. With this is mind, we need to expand our definition of truth to include past, present, and future.
(Def. 2) Truth: A statement that is completely undeniable at any given moment.
The last problem we encounter with this definition is that it allows for small truths to become big truths granted the conditions are specific enough. For example, water is made of the human defined elements hydrogen and oxygen. This statement is always true, but it is not general enough to constitute for a big truth. This is truth we are talking about, it must apply to everything! Once again, we must modify our definition of truth.
(Def. 3) Truth: A statement that is completely undeniable at any given moment which encompasses everything.
Assuming we can all agree upon this definition, we must ask ourselves, is truth something we truly want? It would be absurd to propose that humans do not desire truth: almost all of the philosophers we have covered in class have touched on the topic of truth, many of our class discussions have branched or based themselves around truth. Therefore, I think it is safe to conclude that humans do desire truth, but should we actually pursue it? The idea of truth sounds great, but we never think to consider the aftermath of it. If we were to find a truth, we would lose direction. All of human life has been spent finding answers to questions (small truths). Finding a larger truth would make all of our little T's feel meaningless, we would have no desire to continue pursing knowledge, the world would fall to chaos! We should not want truth because of the effects of achieving it.
Returning to our definition of truth, I would like to take a more realistic approach to the search for truth. There is nothing that could possibly fill the criteria of the 3rd definition. Like Heraclitus believed, everything changes, and because of that, nothing can always be true. Perhaps the only truth we can rely on is that there is no truth, but only little temporary truths.
There is one last problem that must be addressed. If there is no truth, what is missing that we feel must be found? I believe we are searching for an answer to the one question we cannot answer: why are we here? - All I know is that I don't know...
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Great job on attempting to define truth! I feel i can't define the big truth itself except that i feel it is the answer to the question of how we ought to live. People search for the answer to that question thinking it will be the big truth and apply to everyone. I don't know if that's the question we're trying to answer or if anyone will agree with me that the answer is "just do the best you can" And i feel everyone is doing that so to me the big truth is unfolding all around us everyday. I don't feel like knowing that changes me in a negative way. I think it only increases my tolerance toward others and helps me to accept things as they are without making me feel like i can't change the things i do have control over.
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