The Search for God
Do you want a true answer or a false one?
While the subtitle is a little tongue-in-cheek, most people recognize that truth exists. Some will argue that each has “their” truth, but absolute truth has to do with truth independent of our own perspective and experience.
So let’s look at a few examples of absolute truth that applies to all people at all times, no matter what we think.
This is a philosophical idea.
Law of Identity
This is a philosophical idea. The basic premise is A=A and B=B, and so forth. Take a pencil. We see an object, and that object has certain properties. We might quibble over how to use the pencil and the meaning of a pencil, but the identity of what the pencil is composed of can be determined independently of how we “feel” about the pencil.
The graphite composition for each specific pencil can be determined; the wood or plastic, the coloring, the eraser, each subset of that specific pencil has an identity. This is an absolute truth.
Without the law of identity, the whole paragraph that you just read would not be possible. Coherent communication rests upon the law of identity. Each word has a definition and a meaning that we share.
Absolute truth is whatever corresponds to reality. We can change the language, we can make up a language, but whether we use truth, veritas (Latin), verdad (Spanish), jinsil (Korean), or nlsidt (made up), the definition is still “that which corresponds to fact or reality.” Words express concepts that have an underlying reality.
“You must learn to take a philosophical attitude,” said Dr. Simon Pritchett to a young girl student who broke down into sudden, hysterical sobs in the middle of a lecture. She had just returned from a volunteer relief expedition to a settlement on Lake Superior; she had seen a mother holding the body of a grown son who had died of hunger.
“There are no absolutes,” said Dr. Pritchett. “Reality is only an illusion. How does that woman know that her son is dead? How does she know that he ever existed?”
Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
Scientific Truth
Scientific truth builds upon the basic law of identity by adding discoverable facts and reality. In the article, What is Absolute Truth, we discussed perception and reality and how our lack of knowledge plays into our view of truth.
Underlying my pencil example is graphite, which has an interesting history. Before humans understood the chemical structure, we used graphite to write, which is where we get the name. Underlying graphite is carbon arranged in a specific hexagonal structure.
You can see where I am going with this; each item we have, each description, chemical, idea, word, has an underlying structure meaning. We reduce and reduce until we get to true reality.
Identity and reality, what the universe is made of, what a tree is made of, what each human is made of has complex composition and construction. But there is truth.
Again we have a problem with perception. Whether it is the Heisenberg Uncertainty principle or the infamous Schroedinger’s Cat, many think because we cannot measure something or perceive an object that not knowing those variables negates the truth.
These simply mean we are limited in knowledge and perceptive abilities. But we don’t need these to make a pencil or to realize that the universe has order, rules, and laws that govern reality.
If that discussion was too confusing, let’s just use the good ole’ fashion idea of math as absolute truth. Here we have the law of identity. We all know what ‘2’ means and ‘+’ and ‘=,’ can we get the true and correct answer?
Historical Truth
While most people don’t think of historical truth as absolute truth, this is one of my key postulates. We need to differentiate between historical interpretation and historical reality. When we speak of truth, it means whatever corresponds to reality and fact.
While many historical events are unknown, and we only have fragments of information, that does not negate the reality that history unfolded one way. The universe came into existence one way.
George Washington helps to defeat the British and became the first president of the United States one way. We might never know the exact minute events, but absolute truth has to do with unchangeable facts of reality. Again our lack of perception and knowledge does not cancel the reality.
Your birth occurred one way. A person is not born both December 2nd and 3rd at 3:52 pm and 5:37 pm. There is a one-way history unfolds.
Even if reality and history continually changed….
- We would not perceive the change, so the new history would be reality
- The change is only change to a being outside time
- The historical changes would still be “one way” and one reality
- We can theorize about a multiverse, even in that timeline, historical truth exists
Historical events are an absolute truth
Next Steps
Many people might agree to these absolute truth claims, but the idea that moral or ethical absolute truth exists is still contested as mere opinion.
If you struggle with this opinion, read ‘Why absolute truth must exist?’ or ‘why search for God?’. If you agree absolute truth exists, consider these next steps.
- How do I find God?
- Who is God?
- Who is Jesus?
- Is Reality an Illusion?
What Next?
- What is the crucial concept?
- Why is that significant?
- If you agree, the next steps
- If you disagree, please consider reading