Truth - A Matter of Perspective?
"Truth, like knowledge, is surprisingly difficult to define. We seem to rely on it almost every moment of every day and it's very "close" to us. Yet it's difficult to define because as soon as you think you have it pinned down, some case or counterexample immediately shows deficiencies. Ironically, every definition of truth that philosophers have developed falls prey to the question, "Is it true?" - Philosophy News
Epsitemology – A great word isn’t it.
Epsitemology is the philosophical study which asks ‘how do we know what we know’?
It’s great question, isn’t it?
How do we know what we know?
How do we know what we know is truth?
I like to link this question to the provocative statement “most people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices’.
Challenging thought hey?
But one that, if you’re still reading this piece, is well worth reflecting upon.
There is something to be said for the idea that ‘knowledge is constructed’ and this of course begs the question on ‘how’ that happens.
Without seeking to turn this into an essay on cognitive psychology, it is generally thought by those working in the field, that our brains re-wire as we learn new things and what we learn, or at least pay attention to, is linked to emotions, pre-existing beliefs, attitudes and memories - all of which suggests that once we think we ‘know’ something, it’s not that easy to let go of.
Hence, we have a series of pre-conceived notions, beliefs and biases.
'Conformation bias’ is the tendency to look for evidence to support existing beliefs and knowledge which confirms what we already believe and know.
The point is that all human beings have the tendency to think they are thinking when they are seeking to confirm personal truths.
Scientists, Researchers, Philosophers, Mystics, Educators, Learners – no one is immune.
Which, brings me to the point.
To ‘know something’ is quite a personal thing.
Your knowing is the sum total of your experiences, memories, beliefs and attitudes. It is yours to do what you will with...
Your knowledge can become your dogma; your message to the world and will of course, inform your behaviours and attitudes towards others and other ideas.
Your knowledge can also form the basis for further questions and explanations.
All of which begs the question that when we read from “any source” that something is PROVEN or FACT how should we respond?
The words proven and fact seem to deny the possibility of challenge – the possibility for question.
Just whose fact or whose proof is being referred to?
There is a very real sense in which all proofs and facts are dependent on context and perspective.
If you’re still reading, then you might like to challenge something that in maths we all learned. The internal angles of a triangle add-up to 180 degrees.
Ah, memories of Pythagoras and the “sum of the squares”.
BUT that ‘truth’ and all of the geometric ‘proofs’ of that truth are only relevant to non-curved space.
Off the paper, and when applied to curved surfaces, a triangle’s internal angles can be greater (and possibly less than) 180 degrees.
So, all claims for ‘truth’ or ‘proof’ that are made to convince us of a particular body of knowledge can be considered tentative at best.
Tomorrow new ideas may require us to redefine what we think we know and, as we have suggested, the human brain (and condition) is sometimes reluctant to let go of old concepts upon which beliefs and values are based.
We see around us the results of unbalanced thinking, prejudice and an inability to shift perspective.
From the Facebook-Timeline statements of PROOF or KNOWLEDGE to the unsolicited emails we receive in our ‘demographically targeted’ inbox which start with statements like - proven fact, new research proves – are examples of the ‘believe me I’m right’ mentality, rather than the ‘this is interesting, what do you think’ questioning approach.
Here are some ‘headlines’ received in my mailboxes in recent weeks ...
“Scientists have now proven the existence of ESP”
“Quantum Physics proves the existence of God”
“A xxxxx diet has been proven to cure Cancer”
“It has been proven that you can reprogram your DNA through meditation”
“It has been proven that xxxxx treatment/ drug is causing xxxxx disorder”
Each of which may well reflect the current state of thinking, research, findings – or may simply represent the snippet of information someone has pre-selected (unconsciously and consciously) to support their lifestyle, belief, attitude, value – or prejudice.
When such ‘facts’ are presented without thought as a broad generalisation then we can never be sure about how the that information will be interpreted or understood by others.
True, we cannot take responsibility for what people do with what we share with them, but we can take responsibility for HOW we share information.
We can invite others to think, but often such headlines are presented with a ‘see I told you so’ attitude or ‘I was right all along’.
Both of which stifle questioning and close-down discussion.
Both of which can result in the feeling of emotional attack (bullying) or being controlled – especially of the recipient of the information is in a fragile emotional place.
Your truth is your truth, and nowhere more relevantly within the realm of your personal personal and transpersonal experiences.
Enjoy them, own them and be liberated by them – create meaning from them and with them.
Share them as stories, possibilities, provocations and inspirations
Pronounce them as absolute, ‘factual’ or ‘proven’ then perhaps you’re on the path towards dogmatism and fundamentalism.
Epsitemology – A great word isn’t it.
Epsitemology is the philosophical study which asks ‘how do we know what we know’?
It’s great question, isn’t it?
How do we know what we know?
How do we know what we know is truth?
I like to link this question to the provocative statement “most people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices’.
Challenging thought hey?
But one that, if you’re still reading this piece, is well worth reflecting upon.
There is something to be said for the idea that ‘knowledge is constructed’ and this of course begs the question on ‘how’ that happens.
Without seeking to turn this into an essay on cognitive psychology, it is generally thought by those working in the field, that our brains re-wire as we learn new things and what we learn, or at least pay attention to, is linked to emotions, pre-existing beliefs, attitudes and memories - all of which suggests that once we think we ‘know’ something, it’s not that easy to let go of.
Hence, we have a series of pre-conceived notions, beliefs and biases.
'Conformation bias’ is the tendency to look for evidence to support existing beliefs and knowledge which confirms what we already believe and know.
The point is that all human beings have the tendency to think they are thinking when they are seeking to confirm personal truths.
Scientists, Researchers, Philosophers, Mystics, Educators, Learners – no one is immune.
Which, brings me to the point.
To ‘know something’ is quite a personal thing.
Your knowing is the sum total of your experiences, memories, beliefs and attitudes. It is yours to do what you will with...
Your knowledge can become your dogma; your message to the world and will of course, inform your behaviours and attitudes towards others and other ideas.
Your knowledge can also form the basis for further questions and explanations.
All of which begs the question that when we read from “any source” that something is PROVEN or FACT how should we respond?
The words proven and fact seem to deny the possibility of challenge – the possibility for question.
Just whose fact or whose proof is being referred to?
There is a very real sense in which all proofs and facts are dependent on context and perspective.
If you’re still reading, then you might like to challenge something that in maths we all learned. The internal angles of a triangle add-up to 180 degrees.
Ah, memories of Pythagoras and the “sum of the squares”.
BUT that ‘truth’ and all of the geometric ‘proofs’ of that truth are only relevant to non-curved space.
Off the paper, and when applied to curved surfaces, a triangle’s internal angles can be greater (and possibly less than) 180 degrees.
So, all claims for ‘truth’ or ‘proof’ that are made to convince us of a particular body of knowledge can be considered tentative at best.
Tomorrow new ideas may require us to redefine what we think we know and, as we have suggested, the human brain (and condition) is sometimes reluctant to let go of old concepts upon which beliefs and values are based.
We see around us the results of unbalanced thinking, prejudice and an inability to shift perspective.
From the Facebook-Timeline statements of PROOF or KNOWLEDGE to the unsolicited emails we receive in our ‘demographically targeted’ inbox which start with statements like - proven fact, new research proves – are examples of the ‘believe me I’m right’ mentality, rather than the ‘this is interesting, what do you think’ questioning approach.
Here are some ‘headlines’ received in my mailboxes in recent weeks ...
“Scientists have now proven the existence of ESP”
“Quantum Physics proves the existence of God”
“A xxxxx diet has been proven to cure Cancer”
“It has been proven that you can reprogram your DNA through meditation”
“It has been proven that xxxxx treatment/ drug is causing xxxxx disorder”
Each of which may well reflect the current state of thinking, research, findings – or may simply represent the snippet of information someone has pre-selected (unconsciously and consciously) to support their lifestyle, belief, attitude, value – or prejudice.
When such ‘facts’ are presented without thought as a broad generalisation then we can never be sure about how the that information will be interpreted or understood by others.
True, we cannot take responsibility for what people do with what we share with them, but we can take responsibility for HOW we share information.
We can invite others to think, but often such headlines are presented with a ‘see I told you so’ attitude or ‘I was right all along’.
Both of which stifle questioning and close-down discussion.
Both of which can result in the feeling of emotional attack (bullying) or being controlled – especially of the recipient of the information is in a fragile emotional place.
Your truth is your truth, and nowhere more relevantly within the realm of your personal personal and transpersonal experiences.
Enjoy them, own them and be liberated by them – create meaning from them and with them.
Share them as stories, possibilities, provocations and inspirations
Pronounce them as absolute, ‘factual’ or ‘proven’ then perhaps you’re on the path towards dogmatism and fundamentalism.
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