What is truth outside of science?

Question

Truth in science centres on observation and experimentation. You make an assertion and then you attempt to prove it through observation, measurement and/or experimentation. If you are successful the assertion (hypothosis) becomes a truth. On a more day to day level we might approach the idea of truth in the same albeit less formal way. We might suspect such and such is going on and then go to certain lengths to establish that it is.

But people talk of other forms of truth. I have not set out to dispute the possibility of other forms of truth, but to learn about them. I would like a description of any other forms of truth.

Answer 1

there are:
-logical truths (a=a),
-mathematical truths (2+2=4)
-conceptual truths ("all bachelors are unmarried"),
-intuitive truths that do not rely on the scientific method but are immediately grasped ("i'm angry right now/ i'm in great pain")
-maybe interchangeable with 'intuitive' in some ways but I would also add truths grasped via the phenomenological method

Answer 2

Truth is the most difficult of all topics. First, science is not completely able to lead us to truth since a hypothesis can`t be verified just like that, and all theories are to be left behind to make room for a closer approach to truth, in other words, in order to prove a theory absolutely every experiment lead (including repetitions of the same experiment) must give you a positive result, but the number of possible repetitions is infinite and then you'd have to complete an infinite series of experiments, which is impossible... The way science works is advancing, not staying; of course (as you just said) we use to take the first thousands of positive proves as a definitive resolution.
Now, you want to know other forms of truth... well... probably many people would say that truth depends on you, from my point of view that's to simplistic and there are only a few very general facts that can be taken as true, like the idea of perception: it is truth that we perceive... something... no matter what it is, if its real or artificial, a dream or just a game...
Sorry if I didn't help you much, I'm on my way to the same unreachable line.

Good luck!

Answer 3

There are no forms in truth, there is only one true, but facts are many, and this is true about the truth. The sense of various forms of truth in existence that could be beyond the domains of scientific inquiry is a result of the ability of the mind to experience the same thing in numerous different ways, perception of more than one dimensions in existence. Whereas, the indisputable fact about scientific truth is that science only aims find the the ultimate truth through detailed and systematic study of facts in existence. And that the Truth is and will always be, beyond the grasp of science. There are only facts that constitute the entire body of our scientific knowledge that we use referentially to understand better the meanings of things. When, for example, certain facts about the nature or behaviour of something are discovered, known and proven to be consistent throughout out under similar conditions then the set of those facts and and their description is encapsulated in forms of scientific laws, and scientific laws are not scientific truths.

If I for instance invite you to imagine a bag with nothing in it, then this will imply that everything is out of the bag, as there is nothing inside it. Now, if we turn the bag inside out then there will be nothing outside but everything will now be inside the bag – a bag that metaphysically speaking contains all that exists. But how a bag can contain everything in existence still enjoying a status of a container itself, for this would mean that firstly, there is existence, and secondly, there is this bag that contains that existence, which obviously is a fallacy. If we find a bag that can contain all that is there to be found than we will never know what that bag is. Similarly if we can find the truth about all that exists in science what then science would be? The truth about science will still be outside the knowledge it would contain.

Answer 4

Truth can be defined as that which does not change.

Science changes constantly and that is why I am always amazed that people think that it is some kind of standard of truth.

It has been 40 years since I go out of school.

I have a son who is 14 and the things that he is being taught in science are often almost the complete opposite of the things that we were taught.

We were taught that Dinosaurs were slow stupid plodding greenish Grey creatures who laid eggs and never saw their offspring, and were essentially mute.

Now dinosaurs are intelligent, agile, speedy hunters who can be brightly colored, fiercely protective parents who were capable of long range communications by a number of vocalization techniques.

Seems the truth has changed a bit.

Love and blessings Don

Answer 5

Truth outside of science is Rationalism. It is rooted in the validity of logical inference based on premises and their conclusions. These often work out in "if" "then" statements rooted in philosophy.

Science cannot measure ideas so where science lacks philosophy must be used and both disciplines can be used to validate each other. Science cannot measure ideas, love, good, evil, friendship, civility, beliefs, mind, and the like so one must depend on philosophy(thinking) to comprehend truth.

The belief that science=truth is scientism. Science actually discovers more data to discern truth.

Answer 6

Truth is that which is.
Man cannot know much truth, what is commonly considered truth is what appears to be true according to our believes.
The sun shines on us, we feel the warmth, we believe the suns rays cause the warmth because it always has that effect. We see it as a truth.
It is possible that something else is involved which makes it look like the sun is doing it.
Our understanding of the sun, is what we have been told (taught),
Most of our 'truths' have been taught to us by others, in a way it is the blind leading the blind.
The truths we know are things like the pain we feel, or what else we feel personally.

Answer 7

I like your question. Here is a book which provides an in depth discussion of the form of truth above expanded to include the "truth of faith/belief"...

The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Francis S. Collins

Mr. Collins is a physician-geneticist, noted for his landmark discoveries of disease genes, and his leadership of the Human Genome Project (HGP). He is director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

Answer 8

Everything starts from Idea. I believe that science does not discovering anything rather creates that which it looks for. So we are,simple people creating over and over again that which we call karmic loops, for there fresh ideas mostly rejected. science does not reject fresh Ideas, rather develops them.Yet, lost in linear logic....blind to look around...The truth is that we are creators, not a seekers, although "seek and you shall find" leading us to revelations.We create by our mind but do not aware of it...all that earthly efforts and dramas just covers what really happens.That Truth I mentioned is not outside of us as any other "forms " of truth..It is us.If you aware of it , of course. Treasure buried in your own back yard does not mean that you are having it.

Answer 9

There's the scientific distinction true/untrue, but there's also the more commonsensical dichotomy truth/lie. But truth simply means 'accordance to reality' in both those perspectives, intentionality is hardly taken in account.
Science transforms those commonsensical truths (beliefs), combined with hypotheses into knowledge.

Answer 10

.......and all things are "true" that are realized else they would not be realized. this is relative truth. truth in relationship.

if they are not fully true it is because there are appending realizations unknown and therefore not relative to the realizations of each. yet appending realizations as truths have effect.

just because you or i do not be aware of the weather-change in the next moments do not mean it isn't true or going to occur.

the same can be said within a person. just because you or i are not aware of our personal matter before relationship do not mean that it is not real or true.

so....the persistent partial truths of relationship as to forces/realizations to/of fear/death do be have relationship to you or i and may manifest as illness in the absence of knowledge/practice to recreate health.

truth outside science is omniscient.

if science is the word which suits you.


be well