I have seen more than one person claim that truth is relative. While I've seen excellent reasoning for truth being absolute, I have yet to see even average reasoning for truth being relative. So here is my challenge - can you show, with sound reasoning and logic, that truth is relative?
I will pick the answer with the best reasoning whether I agree with it or not.
This is part of an experiment I am running where I put Christianity on trial. For more, please see my 360 blog: http://360.yahoo.com/~maximus53
2006-07-13 19:34:30 · 16 answers · asked by Alex T 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm not sure that I made this clear or not, but in the context of this question I have not stated my answer. Pretend that nobody asked this :)
2006-07-16 16:28:27 · update #1
For counterarguments on arguments I have received to far, please see my 360 blog entry: http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-lenP9ZI8er5aimgDpC1Wi5M-?cq=1&p=2
2006-07-16 17:16:38 · update #2
"Whether or not we can know the absolute truth about something does not change whether or not it is existent."
Not exactly what I was saying, for me to know absolute truth it would have to exist. If I don't know absolute truth then I can not know if it exists or not. I am definetly not saying that things only exist when they are percieved to exist (other wise at no point would anything exist).
We don't know absolute truth. We have a relative point of view. even if a large group of us say something is true, it is because our relative points of view are similar enough to agree.
For your ending logic. Being right and wrong is a judgement, and in this case who is the judge? You are assuming there is something absolute to judge whether you are absolutely right or wrong.
Or another way to think of it, if you say truth is absolute and you are wrong there is no absolute to be wrong to, you will simply be wrong to some and right to others.
I guess another way of looking at your logic, you are saying that relative truth is absolute. When you think about it in the proper context, that is that relative truth is, well, relative. Then being right and wrong beyond our relative points of view is meaningless! And we are the only ones that give meaning to right and wrong, just like we give value to the dollar bill, when outside of our society a dollar bill is nothing more then paper with ink on it (meaningless).
There is one thing I didn't make clear in my rambling above, my answer to the question is that I can't show truth is relative or absolute, I can only show you how it could be either one. And that does not imply that it is both, just that from our perspective we can not know which it is.
My answer by the way, does not refute the existence of God. It merely means that you can not know if there is a God, if you had proof of God then you wouldn't need faith.
2006-07-13 20:15:03 · answer #1 · answered by humean9 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think truth is always relative. I could say 'the universe exists' and relative to now that would be true. But they say that it didn't exist before the "Big Bang", so the truth of it is realtive to time and place.
Also, when we talk about the truth of something we can only use words. Since each word must act as a symbol for a number of things that are similar, but not identical, they can't communicate concepts precisely. Words can be added to make it more precise, but never perfect.
For practical purposes though, we have to assume that various things are true, or we wouldn't be able to communicate at all.
In this case then, we can ignore the problems of absolute truth. So 'truth' is also relative to the purpose of communication.
2006-07-15 07:32:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
relative=Something having a relation or connection to something else. Dependent on or interconnected with something else; not absolute. (Relying on or requiring the aid of another for support)
absolute=Something regarded as independent of and unrelated to anything else
it seems to me that truth is very relative to the fact we are all human beings. if these definitions are true, then truth itself is relevant to each person's belief system. what one culture or religion may believe to be truth may not be anothers' but the common factor (what truth is dependent on) is that all humans believe some form of what they call truth.
i am not sure how truth can be absolute, even if it is a truth that a large population believes, it is still not a truth for everyone. one could say an absolute truth is the sun will rise today, but there are many who will not see the sun therefore is that the truth for them?
i am not a major philosopher, just my humble opinion.
lily =)
2006-07-13 20:52:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
sure, truth can be relative, as well as absolute, depending on what situation it is applied to.
For example: Let's say that 80% is considered a good score on an exam in school A, but in school B it is not considered a good score. In school B a good score has to be at least 90%. Therefore, someone from school A could say that 80% is a good score (and they would be telling the truth) and someone from school B could say that 80% is not a good score (and they would be telling the truth, as well). This shows that the truth is relative, depending on the breakdown of certain premises. (in this case, the premise that differs is what is considered a 'good' score).
2006-07-13 19:44:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The truth is what a person believes to be true. It is not always objective. For example, if you found a guy who believed that the earth is flat. Really believed it. And you hooked him up to a lie detector, shot him full of Truth Serum - then asked is the earth flat? He would say "YES" and be telling the TRUTH.
As they said in Men In Black - 350years ago, men KNEW for sure that the earth was the center of the solar system. What do we know for sure today that people will laugh at in the future?
Truth is relative.
2006-07-13 19:48:53 · answer #5 · answered by roscoedeadbeat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The thing is there is an absolute truth, so I cannot speak for it being relative. What is subjective (or relative as you say) is not a truth. Because truth is absolute. And that absolutism is something that can withstand any and all arguments or questions against it. For me, the absolute truth is found in only one book: the Bible.
2006-07-13 19:43:36 · answer #6 · answered by Joy RP 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good answer from Joy RP. But hmorad87 is right on the money in showing that perceived truth is just as strong in ones life as real truth. Jesus said that He was the truth. He also did great miracles. Healed the blind, the crippled, the deaf. Brought Lazurus back to life. Jesus said that He was going to prepare a place for us so that where He is, we may be also. Jesus is my truth.
2006-07-13 19:41:37 · answer #7 · answered by Jimguyy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When others can actually judge and dispute the question, the truth will eventually arise.when a question is about emotions, beliefs, or any abstract concept, it is always open to interpretation about what the truth actually is. so in questions of faith, love, or any abstract idea the "truth" will always be relative.
2006-07-13 20:15:38 · answer #8 · answered by Josh K 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh Boy...another 1st year Philosophy student studding Aristotelian logic. Apostle John's answer to this circular thinking question is the Greek word logos
2006-07-13 19:55:37 · answer #9 · answered by rattsbreath 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Truth depends on the perception of the one experiecing. Perception is reality. Therefore, truth is relative depending on the one experiencing.
2006-07-13 19:54:56 · answer #10 · answered by adphllps 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋