Why Truth Is Not Relative!
Why Truth Is Not Relative!
In my previous write-ups concerning "Truth" [i.e. The Test For Truth & Is Truth Relative?], I talked about truth as a category, its dynamics and its features.
I mentioned in one of those write-ups, particularly, "Is Truth Relative?", that truth may be subjective, and offered an explanation with an example to suit in that regard. I would like to take it from there, and throw more light on it.
"...Truth may however be subjective. For instance, I may be married whiles you're not. Hence, it's true I'm married, yet, the same is not true for you cos you're not married."
Looking at the above example, being married as an individual is a truth that applies everywhere (universal). Is it true that you are married? Yes! Therefore, on the basis of comparison, it is true for me that I'm married, and not true for you cos you're not married. But as a category, it's I'm married, and it's also true you're not married. This is universal. In a nutshell, I'm married, and that's true. You're not married, and that's also true.
Subjectivity of Truth only applies to value judgements. This is an exception, and this exception is not universal imposition even though it's true. For instance, I might say that blue is the best colour. Is it true that blue is the best colour according to me? Yes! Is it true for everyone that blue is the best colour? No! Hence, subjectively, blue is the best colour. And that is a matter of truth which applies to me. There may be others who think the same way or have the same opinion as I do, but this truth does not pose as a universal truth since others may differ in opinion. According to others, yellow might be the best colour. And it will be true that yellow is the best colour for others.
Someone might also say that, among all the sporting events, football/soccer is the best. Another might say that athletics is the best among all the sporting in events. It's true that among some people, football/soccer is the best sporting event. It's also true that athletics is the best sporting event according to a certain group of people.
Let me take it a step further. There are those who believe that what Adolf Hitler did was good. The reason being that, by exterminating so many people, he wiped out a category of people who would've been toxic to the world. There are also those who think what he did was absolutely evil. Therefore it's true that others consider Adolf Hitler as a good person, whiles others consider him to be an evil person.
A truth claim must obey its own principles. We found out that truth in itself is absolute and exclusive. Hence truth has an intrinsic quality that allows it to stand on its own. That means that truth is not affected by our acceptance or rejection, and neither is it affected by our feelings or opinions.
I would now like to outline certain reasons why truth is not relative.
1. The statement, "Truth Is Relative", is a self-defeating one. Why is that so? It's self-contradictory.
You might ask, is that statement true? If it's true, then the statement makes no sense whatsoever. If it's not true, then truth is not relative. Truth in itself is absolute and exclusive. Relativity on the other hand is not absolute or exclusive in itself. Relativity implies that what is true for you might not be true for me. That being the case, a relativist cannot make any claim that is absolute or exclusive. To say truth is relative, would that imply absoluteness? And would it follow as an exclusive statement? This statement implies both, because it poses as unbending reality and excludes all other alternatives. This is why it can never be true that truth is relative. It's just impossible.
2. If truth is relative, then opposites/all other alternatives are also true. That is to say, whiles it's true that truth is relative, it's also true that truth is not relative. This also implies that whiles it's true you exist, it's also true you don't exist, or exist and not exist at the same time. Considering the tests of reality, it's practically impossible; empirically unverifiable; rationally or logically incoherent and experientially unprecedented.
Something is either true or false. It's either you exist or not. Hence, something cannot be true and false at the same time. Neither can one exist and not exist at the same time. Yet, this is the reality relativism seems to perpetrate. This is clearly a deviation from the actual reality.
3. If truth is relative, then there can be no standards of judgement or measurement. Standards by nature, are fixed and imposed. This means if truth is relative, you cannot describe somebody as good or bad. On what bases then will someone be good? And on what bases will someone be bad? And if those bases are relative, how can you possibly draw any conclusions. It means the judge cannot declare anyone guilty or not guilty; the coach cannot bench any player for under-performance; the United Nations would have no cause to fight for; equality will be nothing to stand for; justice will just be the cry of the misguided; and so many more absurdities.
Truth is an imposed reality. It is not meant to meet one's personal taste or preference.
Truth is an unchanging reality. Something cannot be true today and false tomorrow. Something that was true yesterday must be true today and tomorrow. If the discovery of new facts render any belief false, it doesn't imply a new truth. It only means what was believed as true was false right from the beginning. For instance, in many generations, it was believed that thunderings and lightnings are caused by the gods. Modern-day science has proved this belief to be false. Therefore, it had never been true that thunderings and lightnings were caused by the gods.
It is important to note that belief does not validate truth. The fact that you believe in something doesn't necessarily mean it's true. You can believe a lie. A lie doesn't become true simply because it is believed.
When Jesus rose from the dead, the soldiers guarding the tomb were paid to report that his body was stolen by his disciples. People believed that report, but it remained a lie nonetheless.
When Peter stood and said there was no name given amongst men by which men will be saved except the name of Jesus, he implied that any other name could not save. At the time Peter made this statement, there were over a 100 million gods. As it stands now there are over 500 million gods and many more are being created every time. If what Peter said then was true, it's also true now. And that means, irrespective of the number of gods that might be created in the future, it still remains true that, only Jesus can save.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life". This means that there is no other way aside Jesus, and that's truth and life is only found in him.
Jesus Christ put an exclamation mark on his claims by dying and resurrecting on the third day. This is proven by scholars to be a historical event and fact. So whether you like it or not, believe or disbelieve, agree or disagree, it's true.
Truth can never be relative!
Mich-Shaker ©
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