Absolute Truth, Absolutely Relative Truth, Relative Truth

[Metanoia]

I have been bothered by this thread about "Half Truths" To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

What is truth?

Is man really capable of attaining truth?

Is truth absolute, relative or simply absolutely relative?

What is the essence of truth?

[bricklayer]

Truth is what are minds figure it to be. I think it really only exists in our minds since we can't totally prove everything. We can provides theories supported by evidence but that is not the same as absolute truth.

[muguly]

Interesting....there is absolute truth but in order to find it you would need to research a topic, then research the research, etc. I know absolute truth exist but finding it will be a challenge. You would literally have to do everything yourself because you don't know if someones information is wrong or biased. So the essence of truth would be.......understanding I think. Once you understand something you can move on to dismantle the reasoning behind it, then research the reasoning to find the truth.

[stasis]

What is truth?
Truth is a type of knowledge. Broadly, a proposition that is both internally consistent and non-contradictory can be called true.


Is man really capable of attaining truth?
If he isn't then there's no reason to ask this question. An answer would be precluded by the supposed "unattainability" of true statements. We are therefore forced to presume he is capable, which is to say we must define 'truth' in a meaningful way.


Is truth absolute, relative or simply absolutely relative?
A statement can be true within one set of systemic bounds and false within another. This can be called "relative," I suppose, but I don't like the way people use that term to diplomatically or defensively abdicate (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.) incisive thinking.


What is the essence of truth?
Function.

[cal]

My thoughts, at this time. I'm not considering these as being absolute truths, but ongoing 'proto-truths':


What is truth?

If you're talking about 'absolute' truth, right now I might define it as something that is perfect, unchangeable. It holds true under all conditions, in all situations.


Is man really capable of attaining truth?

If you're talking about 'absolute' truth, I couldn't say one way or the other, except maybe for some things within ourselves. If we feel something, then I guess we feel something. If we believe something, then I guess we believe something. Some of these are referred to as revealed truth, mystic truth, dogmatic truth.

We could very well already know a bunch of absolutes that are outside of ourselves. But can we prove that they are absolutes. Even if we can, how do we know we can. How do we know that how we've proven it really is accurate.

The problem seems to lie a lot in our abilities. Absolutes are supposed to be circumstance independent, while our perceptions are circumstance dependent. It's seems hard to prove what are really absolutes, with limited perceptual abilities. But I won't say it's beyond the realm of possibility. I just don't see how, right now.


Is truth absolute, relative or simply absolutely relative?

I don't know for sure what you're meaning by 'simply absolutely relative'.

If I told you truth is relative, or some truth is relative, then that would seem to be me making absolute truth statements.

Maybe truth is both absolute and relative. At this time, I agree with stasis' comment of "a statement can be true within one set of systemic bounds and false within another. This can be called "relative".

Relative truths seem to hold true within certain systems, like logical truth, mathematical truth.


What is the essence of truth?

Expanding on stasis' comment of "Function", a quote from The Happiness Purpose:

The scientific tradition seeks to overcome the problem created by superfluous truths (truths which cannot be proved right or wrong and which seem superfluous to an established truth) by requiring proper proof of any truth. The attempt to extend this principle to all aspects of truth neglects the subjective nature of human experience. It also neglects the validity of circular truths. If I believe that a certain pill is going to do me good and it does do me good then it is no use claiming that scientifically it only contained chalk. It I believe that suffering and deliberate starvation will get me to heaven then I have created a special universe in which the suffering and starvation do have a definite value.

[Fredi]

Truth is absolute, it is objective, it is the way things are.

I do not know if it is possible to ever discover the truth, if it is possible I do not think it is possible to know that you have.

Either way it does not matter, truth exists in its purest form regardless of our perceptions, thoughts and beliefs.