by Jimmy Mcgregor

Created on: September 18, 2008

Is truth absolute or conditional?

Truth is never absolute and is always conditional.

To understand why this statement is correct you must understand what truth is and how absolute and conditional relate to truth. Truth is a concept that is very hard to define. Some say the best way to explain truth is to explain false. I believe that the best definition of truth is that which is believed. Truth being absolute would mean that there is always a truth. Prior to 1938 the absolute truth was that the Coelacanth was extinct. This was the truth; however, after 1938 science realized that this was not the truth after several were caught off the coast of Madagascar. Conditional Truth is easy to understand. The truth is conditional to the conditions of the reality. This truth of whether the Coelacanth was extinct was conditional on the fact that none have ever been caught and the fossil record recorded its extinction. Now that you know my conditional definitions of the truth we will move on to more facts that support my truth, conditionally.

Truth is never absolute and is always conditional to the reality in which it is being used. Your reality is a major contributor to what your truth is. For example, in Plato's cave, the captive believed that the shadows on the wall were a type of truth for him. His world was the shadow and the chains that held him to the chair. His view of the world was conditional and real to him. What he believed was his truth. In studying the cave we learn that it was very hard for the captive to believe in an outside world. Our truth would not have been his reality.

Take the current election. The Barack Obama campaign just released a new advertisement using a statement by a longtime McCain advisor, Carly Fiorina. Carly stated that, she doesn't think Sarah Palin or John McCain are qualified to run a major corporation. To Obama supporter, this is a true statement and they believe. Is this an absolute truth?

The fact is that this is a conditional truth. Obama supporters believe this campaign advertisement to be the truth when in actuality it is only the truth under the conditions that have been applied to the statement. The truth is that Carly said that all four of the candidates are not qualified to run a major corporation. The statement was edited and presented in a way to deceive the viewer.

In the eyes of an Obama supporter the truth is that Palin and McCain are not capable of running a corporation. Truth for a McCain supporter is that Obama and Biden are not. And the truth is conditional on your view and support of the candidate of your choice.

The reality is that the truth is what you believe the truth to be. Because it is what you believe it cannot be absolute. If something is absolute then it would be true or false for everyone and that is not possible in our world. The fact is the truth is conditional to our beliefs and that is the absolute truth.

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