To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind. John Godfrey Saxe
There has to be a truth, a singular promise that one thing
is constant and never changing. A
specific set of circumstances that when repeated always remains the same. truth
/tro͞oTH/Noun The quality or
state of being true: "the truth of her accusation". That which is true or in accordance with
fact or reality: "tell me the truth”. Synonyms, sooth - verity - reality - fact
- veracity – fidelity.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to
face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1
Corinthians 13:12
Truth has been touted as a level of perception, with one
perception being true with statements like “it’s true to me..” but what of the
whole truth, what of the complete picture, what of the entire elephant, do only
parts of the truth matter and do we have an obligation to go beyond what we
singularly perceive and forge ahead toward a complete understanding?
I have stated a few times an adage of my own design, “most
people are wrong about most things most of the time” and in relation to the
blind men and the elephant I believe most of us have a strong grasp of a
singular truth, the tale, the leg or the truck perhaps but in each grasp we fail
to follow the lines that lead toward expanding our understanding, thinking that
whatever truth we now possess must be the only and final truth of all that will
ever be.
The problems inherent in humanity is in our desire to
believe but in that desire comes a stubbornness of acceptance and a growing
myopic view of many singular events that continue to cloud our minds toward a
greater reality.
Madison Avenue has excelled at pointing our weak eyes
toward contrived realities, selling us on this shampoo, or this type of food or
even those that would lead. In the Movie
“Crazy People” the enlightened approach of the “truth” created an advertising
sensation with tag lines like, “Volvo, Boxy but Safe” helping everyone to
realize that the truth could be uttered without the preamble of hyperbole or
exaggerated embellishment.
So again, what is the truth and are their terrestrial
examples of pure, unadulterated truth?
There are multiple theories that discuss this never ending debate. Coherence theory requires truth have a
proper fit of elements within a whole system, perhaps similar to the blind men
seeking more than on section of the elephant and eventually discovering the
entire being as a whole. This is perhaps
the most logical.
Constructivist
theory postulates that truth is constructed by social processes, is
historically and culturally specific, in other words it’s relative to the
experiences of those who propose it and similar in some regards to the Consensus theory.
Pragmatic
Theory as explained by William James, "the 'true' is only the expedient in
our way of thinking, just as the 'right' is only the expedient in our way of
behaving." Again this is situational and has no basis in long term
substantiation.
There are other theories as well but all seem to pursue the
blind man holding the tale and espousing that an elephant is like a rope with no
conception of the other more important component parts. Truth cannot be a partial observation or
limited view but must demand a complete and thorough understanding.
2+2=4 can be construed as a truth; for now but as our
understanding of math expands or changes even that fundamental conclusion may
have to be altered. The question then
arises, are there any universal truths, any unchangeable certainties that will
not ever change?
I only know of one and that is that man will continue to
think he has the truth when for the better part of his life he will only be
holding on to a sliver of what could have been, if only he opened his eyes to
see.Those with Religious conviction seek truth through devotion to the ultimate purveyor of all truth, believing that only from God will the “truth” be revealed, for it is only though Gods eyes that the complete picture can be seen and therefor our only hope of truth has to come from he who sees all.
For those who are not so inclined the search for truth must
be a constant battle of discovery with the unending process of rethinking and
reshaping our perceived reality in the hopes that one day those crumbs of truth
will be combined into a clear and understandable reality of what is. From the tail to the legs and eventually the
entire elephant is revealed.
What is your truth and how does it never change?
By : Richard Taylor
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