Layer 4. Objective Truth. Fiction vs. Reality. Truth Part 5
Reality Emerges. While most experiences are imagined fictions, they do still exist in the real world. Find out why reality is harder to…
Reality Emerges
“A judgment is said to be true when it conforms to the external reality”
— Thomas Aquinas
Finally, we come to objective truths. But first, what is the difference between a universal truth and an objective truth? The reason money is not an objective truth is that the concept of money is not physical. The value of money is determined by outside factors, and the dollar bill and digital currency only represent those external values. So because money requires a belief in its value, it remains an imagined idea, a “fiction,” as Yuval Noah Harari explains beautifully in his book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind.
Although idealism is as old as the ancient greeks when it was first proposed by Plato around 2,400 years ago, today, we still heavily cling to ideals. Idealism shapes society and is necessary for it to function.
Ancient Greek Philosopher, Plato, was the first to discuss idealism to the world with his Allgory of the cave theory. The main concept of the allegory is to demonstrate the contrast between people who simply experience their sensory perception, then call that knowledge, and those who comprehend true knowledge by reasoning towards objective truth — reality.
For example, B&G Corporation is another fiction that requires belief to exist. In fact, all corporations are held together under universal beliefs that support them. And because money forms corporations, corporations create jobs, then people receive money for their time. As a result, the system works all thanks to the fictions we believe in the most.
Although universal truths are almost always fictions, fictions are not always universal truths. Sometimes fictions can be political and personal truths. Fictions are projected into the real world and sustained by a collective belief. Some fictions used to help control angry mob breakouts include laws, religion, politics, capitalism, communism, socialism, etc.
Regardless, these examples show that the fantasies universally held by societies help control large herds of people. However, universal truths still fall short of becoming objective reality.
Just ask the eagle perched over the river bank in search of his next meal; if money matters. Or ask the orbiting Moon if money existed at any other time since its initial orbit around Earth. Then ask the Sun if money has kept life on Earth warm for millions of years. The answer will always be silent because money is a human invention held together by a collective belief in its value.
“The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.”
— Carl Sagan
Once we lose our faith in money, our economic social structure begins to crumble, as seen in recessions, stock market crashes, dissolved corporations, etc. Therefore, the eagle, Moon, and Sun do not care about human language.
Truth is a human construct that requires human language. That’s not to say other species do not have their languages and deception tactics. It’s well known that some birds imitate other animals. Even a cougar can imitate a bird as a way of lying about its identity.
However, none of the other animals insist on being right so much as humans do. But what is common between animals and humans is our behaviors are survival instinct motivated.
While the cougar imitates the bird as a way of eating its next meal, humans too often lie as a means to survive. However, a cougar has never been witnessed to lie to another cougar. So when humans lie to each other, we feed ourselves with garbage as we scrape from the bottom and swim in our filth.
Objective truths rely on an unchanging observation seen in nature. This is where truth gets tricky because objective truths rely on all other truths to come to a conclusion. However, objective truths can not rely solely on personal, political, or universal truths.
Objective truth instead relies on human observation, language, and human confirmation. Plus, objective truths must remain unchanged no matter where they are observed in the universe. And even if observed from one culture and language to another. This was a problem for thousands of years and caused many unjust deaths, cruelty, and even wars.
This is a series piece 5 of 9. Below is the next article.
Scientific Method. Circle of Lies? Truth Part 6 >>
Scientific Method. Circle of Lies? Truth Part 6
Baby Steps to Reality. To understand objective truths, we must first understand the steps that lead us to reality.medium.com
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Figments of The Imagination. What truths work like magic and have political parties working together? Most people…medium.com
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The Truth About Truth; It’s All a Lie. Truth Part 1
Philosophy of Truth & Reality Introduction. What is truth and how is it better understood?medium.com
