The Truth

Human beings are in constant search of an objective truth. They turn to science, maths and journalism in pursuit of this. However, the human condition ensures that truth is relative, and therefore its definition is void. Does an objective truth exist if it varies from person to person depending on individual experiences? Or is the holding an honest opinion on something the closest we can come to it?  As Journalists then, it’s our duty to give an honest account of a matter, however, it is questionable whether human beings can escape and overcome their natural biases and give an account closest to the truth as humanly possible.

Kant stated that the universe is ultimately unknowable and that phenomena are only true from certain points of view as they depend on perspective.

He went on to divide the truth into two categories:

A priori truths (Before Experience): These are true by definition. For example, “all triangles have three sides”, “All bachelors are unmarried men”. One does not need any experience or to conduct any extensive research to know that they are positive.

A posteriori truths (After Experience): These are only true after experience and observation. For example, “The Sun will rise tomorrow”. 

The difference between the two truths is that the former is known for certain, and the latter is only believed to be true. We have no idea if the sun will actually rise tomorrow, but most of us would probably bet on it.  We also know that the world is round, but yet we cannot claim it as a universal truth as our perception of the world may not mirror its noumenal form (its actual form, existing beyond human perception). 

So if there is a noumenal form of every single object how can we be sure that we perceive the world as it actually is?  Then surely, only an unperceived object is in fact “pure”.  This links back to Plato’s forms- in which he argued that forms exist beyond and regardless of human perception. The universe just seems to then be made of “things” that exist regardless of whether or not we as humans are there.  If this is the case, the tree WOULD still make a sound if it fell in the woods.  

I suppose in a sense, as clichéd as it sounds, to perceive is to exist, as existence is a necessary precondition of perception.  Like Descartes said, “Cogito ergo sum” (I think therefore I am). The only thing that can be questioned therefore is the existence of everything and everyone else. Solipsists go a step further and believe that they are the only entity in existence and everyone else is a dream figure conjured up by their mind. 

Having said this, scientists managed to prove the existence of objects that cannot be seen. An example of this being Einstein’s research into black holes, through which he proved that something without a physical presence, can and does exist.  Perhaps God is like a black hole.

This put forward a new age of scientific experimentation in which all variables are taken into account and research is relentless, so much so that all axioms are deemed as “temporary”.  This came about as a result of Francis Bacon who questioned axioms that have been followed blindly for centuries, and knowledge acquired through deduction­­­.  This of course means that any knowledge we have is in fact void as further experimentation could prove it wrong.  If following this thought, the Vienna Circle (a group of philosophers in 1922) who stated that the way to the truth is through science and not through philosophy are pretty much invalid in their statement. Once again, the existence of an objective truth and reality has been called into question.

This brings us to the verification principle which states that “a statement or question only has meaning if there is some way to determine if the statement is true, or what the answer to the question is.”  Popper suggested that since the verification principle itself cannot be verified we cannot hold it as a truth. So, we’re essentially back to square one, with no idea whether an objective truth exist. The only things that can be trusted are facts but facts themselves get tainted when perceived by humans. So, although an objective reality does exist, as humans we mar it with our personal experiences and opinions.