Veritas Mundi (Truth of the World)
Veritas Mundi (Truth of the World) Two avid theologians once argued about the validity of each other’s religion.
One was a Christian; the other, a Muslim. The two argued for hours on end about who was right in saying their religion was the correct one. Who was telling the truth? The answer, in short, was this: both of them and neither of them. Each of the men perceived his own knowledge of religion as the truth. Truth can often be influenced by one’s cultural background (religion, family, etc..
). It is defined as the correctness of a statement. However, each individual decides how he or she perceives said truth and/or correctness. A truth to one can be a complete and outrageous lie to another. The arguing theologians made points which were inconsistent with each other, but true in their own subjectivity. Therefore, this highly sought after truth is not only elusive but also subject to criticism.
? In certain situations, crazed individuals who lie think they are telling the truth — cogito ergo scio. Such individuals think they are telling the truth. Therefore, they know they are telling the truth. They think, therefore, they know. This is just another example of the bias involved in discerning what truth really means to different individuals.
More times than not, truth is defined by ideas imposed on people by those in a position of power. Adolf Hitler rose to a position of great authoritative prowess and, in a matter of years, had the vast majority of Germany believing the real truth of the “conniving” Jew. It may seem an irreconcilable transgression, but the Germans acted on the truth they were given. Nothing more can be said. Truths are always changing, sparked by the catalyst of learning and education.
Those of distinguished education give the people the truth; we know the truth to be what we are told. Is the world still flat? Does blood-letting still cure disease? Maybe, in five hundred years, the Big Bang Theory will no longer be true. The only thing people can be certain of is today’s truth will not be the truth of tomorrow. Above all, truth is the interpretation of knowledge; we know what we know. But, what are we, as people, to label as the truth, and how are we to discern it? This will be quite difficult, for dissent of knowledge is rampant in minds all across the globe. This, in itself, proves one of the simplest truths of all: all we know is we don’t know.
