What is Truth? Winston Smith explores the crux of the matter in a recent article. In essence, the war of ideologies that ultimately shape our cultures is about what is true and what is not – what is reality and what is not. This war on truth is more visible than ever before and we are witnessing an attempt to replace objective truth with subjective truth – whatever you “feel” is your reality is your reality, and whatever resonates or aligns with you is true for you.
People need the truth about the world in order to thrive. Truth is important. Believing what is not true is apt to spoil people’s plans and may even cost them their lives. Conversely, a dedicated pursuit of truth characterises the good scientist, the good historian, and the good detective.
Philosophy, the study of human knowledge, is being completely thrown off by the notion that there is no objective truth. “Truth”, they say, is completely subjective – i.e., subject to the individual who decides “what is true for them.” Disbelief in any objective reality used to be regarded as a psychopathology of delusion, for which we would attempt to treat. Now it is a core philosophical tenant of the 21st Century.
For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” – John 18:37-38
What is truth? Herein is the crux of the matter (pun fully intended). The war of ideologies that ultimately shape our cultures, when boiled down to the essence, is about what is true and what is not – what is reality and what is not. The epistemological struggle is now being completely thrown off by the post-modern notion that there is no objective truth. “Truth”, they say, is completely subjective – i.e., subject to the individual who decides “what is true for them.” A disbelief in any objective reality used to be regarded as a psychopathology of delusion, for which we would attempt to treat. Now it is a core philosophical tenant of the 21st Century.
Of course, there are personal opinions about things that are true to one and not another. For example, I believe John Cage wasn’t nearly the composer as was Pyotr Tchaikovsky and he probably led way too many talented composers up the avant-garde path who would have otherwise written beautiful music. That’s my personal opinion and others may propose that Cage was a genius of the 20th Century. Now any thinking and cultured lover of good art will recognise my opinion closer reflects objective truth (I jest of course – please don’t email me abuse) but it is nevertheless a subjective perception.
Read More: The Real War on Truth Is to Replace It with an Idea That Makes Us Feel Good