Is absolute truth beyond the realm of science?

Question

Scientists admit that science does not and cannot offer absolute truth, because there is no way of knowing that. Scientists can discover aspects or attributes of absolute truth, even without knowing the “whole truth” or acknowledging the existence or the validity of the absolute or whole truth, just as a blind man can describe aspects or attributes of an elephant or a giant oak tree, without actually seeing or acknowledging it as it really is. Because, by virtue of his condition, the blind man is unable to see the object in its entirety and understand it as it really is.

Answer 1

Your statement is absolutely true.

Science is limited because Man is limited. "Absolute truth"
is not only beyond the realm of science, it is beyond the realm of humanity. There is certainty in nothing.

Furthermore, most science is based on observation and/or testing, and both are flawed. We cannot observe what happened in the past or predict what will happen in the future. Therefore, even widely accepted theories are still subject to falsification. Degree of proof improves, but nothing is ever "proven".

All we will ever have is a fluctuating best guess.

Answer 2

Since there may be no absolute truth it would then be beyond the realm of not only science but the human experience. Science, in particular quantum physics, has demonstrated that truth is not fixed. For example if a particle changes it's behavior from matter to a wave based on whether or not it is observed (and experiments have confirmed this behavior) then which is the truth is it matter or a wave or is the truth is that it is both at different times? Or is it always both and our observations just effect how we see it?
Of course post modern philosophers and social scientist have known this about "truth" for years, just sit on any couples therapy and try to determine who is telling the true story. Hard science is coming around to the same conclusions of no universal truths.

Michael John Weaver, M.S.

Answer 3

I suppose it depends on which truth you are talking about.

Science is, essentially, just the effort of humanity to explain what is, in fact, happening in the surrounding world. It is based on perception, since science is largely measurement. Our ability to perceive the world around us changes over time, which is why we no longer believe in Spontaneous Generation or Geocentric Space.

So if you are talking about absolute truth such as the smallest particle, the sum total of existing elements, the age of the universe, or observable things like that, I would have to say that it may eventually be possible to measure those things.

Generally, though, when we are talking about Absolute Truth, it is a moral issue, such as whether or not it is acceptable to kill another person. In those questions, I don't think science is the answer, unless we can find a way to measure the soul.

Answer 4

As far as i know,"scientists know that their is no absolute
truth", because of the work of Sir karl Popper,et al.
Correct me if im wrong,but he was the one who said we
and the scientist will not get the absolute truth(it doesnt
exist,anyway; it was and as still is as far as i can tell,a
figment of the teacher's imagination).
But, WE WILL AND STILL DO GET NEARER TO THE
TRUTH. Thus,there still is truth and it still has paramount importance.Not just for our lives,but for the scientists lives
and importantly,their much valued work,also.
(And,if you can imagine and weigh-up what has been said,
it has been stated also by Sir karl that "absolute truth" is
ALSO "beyond the realm of philosophy".
Whether or not you can accept this,i would urge you to read
and study the or some pros-and-cons;especially Popper's
work on it. And dont forget,contrary to some people's rather
noisy pronouncements,anyone has the right to "suspend their
judgement", perhaps until better and more convincing evidence is forthcoming!

ps, many of the answers here,"hedge around" what may be
called the gossip-lines-on-truth;Not all,just some.

Answer 5

True, because what we humans observe depends on who we are and how we are observing it. I do believe that "absolute truth" ( that is, what's measurable) is more in the realm of truth and science than it is in the realm of religious faith. We put a cloak of "reality" around all sorts of things and call them factual. Is a fish cognizant of the fact that he lives in an ocean? No, because that's where he is. Few aside from scientists think to look beyond outward appearance. Many folks accept religious dogma as absolute truth. It's easier, of course, but it's shortsighted. And that's the way we are.

Answer 6

Definitely maybe.

Science can explain the absolute truth regarding something scientific. However, not everything is scientific. Love for intance is not really scientific. Sure, we can measure hormones and mental activity and changes in physical activity such as blood pressure and heart rate, but can love itself be explained or quantified? What is the internationally accepted unit of love? How many of those units describe the love a mother has for her child?

How much does the San Andreas Fault slip each year? That we can measure. Why is that person attractive to me and the other not? Can that be measured? Do we want or need to measure it?

Answer 7

Maybe in some ways the absolute truth is that there is no absolute truth; that not only our perception of reality is changing, but perhaps in some cases reality itself is changing.

Somewhat related - my personal philosophy is to accept almost nothing as an absolute so as to remain flexible and open to new ideas, and never to stagnate into an orbit around an idea that could potentially prevent me from discovering something more interesting. I tend to treat nothing with 100% certainty.

Answer 8

No, truth can be measured. We as humans haven't yet been fully able to measure the physical world, although we've got it down to the Big Bang theory. Once we solve that puzzle then we MAY know absolute truth. This is in the secular world.

In the spiritual world, truth is based on our own perceptions and experiences. What may be truth to one is a lie to another. However, all data needs to be tested for validity and measured, hard for spiritual beings to do when living in human form as everything is measured by our own perspective and bound to be fraught with bias.

So, just because we can't "see" it or "measure" it does NOT mean it does not exist. An argument used by many to support their own agenda's.

Peace.

Answer 9

Only religion deals with absolute truths. So science can say no more about someones idea of an absolute truth than it can about someones belief in the supernatural or a higher power.

Answer 10

That may be so - but then absolute truth must also be beyond the realm of philosophy as well.

If the human mind cannot conceive of absolute truth, then it is beyond the scope of any human science (in which I include philosophy, for it is a science) to understand.