What is truth and what makes it true? It has been a slippery topic for thousands of years. It can depend on a point of view or an opinion or a theory. The basic idea is that what we believe or say is true if it corresponds to the way things actually are—to the facts. The problem is, we don’t always agree on how things actually are. For instance, is there global warming and if so, is it caused by the activity of the human race? What we perceive is not always what is happening. For example, does the sun go around the earth or does the earth go around the sun? Iron clad facts have been known to change into falsehoods.
The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, used to be an oath given by a witness in a court room before testifying. You had to raise your right hand and place your left hand on the Bible. Did you know that practice has been done away with? Now, it is only necessary to make an affirmation to tell the truth to the best of your knowledge. Times are changing and so is the “truth”. During the Medieval period convicted felons were branded on the palm of the right hand. Thus the custom of displaying your right hand came into practice because felons were disqualified from making an oath.
Truth is the end of inquiry. But we never reach the end of inquiry. Truth is ever evolving and changing because of new discoveries and new facts. Keep that in mind before you call someone else’s truth a falsehood. Keep an open mind and be willing to consider another person’s point of view. Let’s be rational and civil!
