Pontius Pilate asked this question of Jesus during His trial. There seem to be only two possible answers to the question:
1. Truth is whatever we internally decide it is...in other words, our perception creates reality, and thus there really is no truth since everyone may believe completely contradictory things to be true.
2. Truth is revealed externally from us and it is true for all people of all times regardless if anyone believes it.
2007-01-27 06:02:42 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
False dichotomy? A third option? Please, tell me the third option.
2007-01-27 06:20:07 · update #1
To those who believe that the Bible is merely human opinion, or that all "gods" are fairy tales invented by men, I must say that you have great faith indeed that all of the ecosystems with their intricacies and interbalance happened by mere cosmic accident. A contemporary of Charles Darwin - opposed to his theory of evolution - addressed his classes at Oxford by laying a pocket watch on the desk before him and asking the following question: "If you are walking to the English country side and discover there this pocket watch, you may assume one of two things regarding it. First, you may assume that it developed there or second, you may assume that someone made it." His conclusion was that if there is a design, then there is a designer. This echoed Augustine's thought along the same lines. It is the arrogance of man to assume that unless he can conceive of something, that there can be nothing greater than his own ideas.
2007-01-30 00:16:21 · update #2
Could you please look up 'false dichotomy' (dilemma)?
Here, I did it for you;
false dilemma
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It has been suggested that False choice be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)
The logical fallacy of false dilemma—also known as falsified dilemma, fallacy of the excluded middle, black and white thinking, false dichotomy, false correlative, either/or fallacy and bifurcation—involves a situation in which two alternative points of view are held to be the only options, when in reality there exist one or more other options which have not been considered. The two alternatives presented are often, though not always, the two extreme points on some spectrum. Instead of such extreme simplification and wishful thinking, considering the whole spectrum, as in fuzzy logic, may be more appropriate.
The false dilemma fallacy refers to misuse of the or operator. For another misuse of "or", see the false choice fallacy. For misuse of the and operator, see package-deal fallacy.
A false dilemma may not necessarily be limited to two choices; it may involve three possibilities, in which case it is known as a trifurcation, or more, in which case the dilemma may be more the result of accidental omission than deliberate intent.
Examples
"Mark is late for work. Either his car has broken down, or he has overslept. We telephoned and learned he isn't at home, so his car must have broken down."
This argument is a false dilemma, because there are many other reasons why Mark may have been late for work (he might have decided to quit his job unannounced, he might have been arrested for traffic offences, and so on). If it were somehow proven that there were no other possibilities than those presented in the initial dichotomy, then the logic would be sound. But until then, the argument is fallacious.
False dilemmas are also common in politics. They are often hidden in rhetorical questions, and then become akin to the fallacy of many questions, as in:
Will you re-elect the ruling party, or face nuclear holocaust?
Are you with us, or with the forces of racism and oppression?
...or they can be done as statements of fact:
My opponent voted against the public schools spending bill. He must think educating our children is not important.
America - love it or leave it.
Nobody wins unless everybody wins.
You're either with us, or against us.
In our seeking for economic and political progress, we all go up - or else we all go down.
Violent gangs are running amok on the streets. Therefore, we must increase police enforcement or let them run loose.
If you're not first you're last.
2007-01-27 06:07:44 · answer #1 · answered by Tim 47 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
There are various levels of truth. There is the truth that outside my window a car is running its engine. This is a truth external from myself. The truth that I feel offended by somebody - is internal, but would not be true in another cultural setting, where that behavior may be totally normal.
Ultimate truth - is truth beyond words, true eternally. That car will stop running: not an eternal truth.
2007-01-30 04:00:12 · answer #2 · answered by katinka hesselink 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus Christ said and i quote the Master" All men who hear the truth hear my voice". Jesus is the truth and the way and the life. No one can even get one prayer listened to by GOD unless it's thru him .
2007-02-03 19:31:13 · answer #3 · answered by krimeboss001 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Holy Scriptures provide the best answer.
In John 16: 13 it states, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come."
The word of God is the truth. Conversely, Satan is the father of lies.
2007-01-27 06:16:29 · answer #4 · answered by BARTMAN 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Truth stood before Pilate in plain sight and he didn't recognize it. So it is today. Truth is a Person, not an arbitrary idea.
2007-02-02 07:12:18 · answer #5 · answered by wd 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A tree falls toward the north, there it will lay. where ever you go there you are. there are many truth's in the heart . a wise man said we sometimes don't see things as it is, but as we are. Jesus said he is the truth, it all fits together in his word and I believe it. understanding him and who he is leads to the truth.
2007-01-27 06:30:25 · answer #6 · answered by dustylee33 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
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God's Word is truth.
Isa 43:8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
Isa 43:9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
Isa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
Isa 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
Isa 43:12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.
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Wayne Murray
2007-01-27 06:09:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Jesus said I am the way, the truth, & the life.
Jesus=veracity/absolute truth
steadfast1
2007-01-27 07:13:01 · answer #8 · answered by Steadfast † One 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Truth is One.
Truth is God.
Truth is Completeness, internally and externally.
Truth is One.
2007-01-27 06:30:14 · answer #9 · answered by Lives7 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
we are on a small planet in a small solasystem with a fairy tale god trying to brainwash it moving at 1000mph in space fighting wars for fairy tale gods and we are trying to get of this rock and out in to space defore the sun implodes and keep the human race alive
2007-01-27 06:15:11 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋