Read Part 1 here.
Part 2 — On the Relativeness of Truth
The human perspective
We perceive the world in terms of what it means to us, and not how it actually appears.
When we learn something new for the first time, the information can be overwhelming, and so our brain starts connecting all the different major parts of the information, and creating a hierarchy of the information available based on its value to us and according to our utility of the information.
For example, when it comes to jigsaw puzzles, our brain might consider gathering all pieces with similar traits — like borders or pieces with similar colors. It behaves in this manner with other aspects of our lives as well.
Our brains are driven to find such patterns in the world around us. The patterns are formed based on our brain’s ability to create hierarchical groups with relevance to our use of those items.
The more time we spend solving the same type of puzzles, the more quickly we are able to solve them. This is because the brain figures out the best strategies with repetition and each cycle improves our ability to recognize patterns more quickly.
Evolutionarily, it makes sense to perceive things in terms of what is valuable to us, so that we may survive. For example, it is better to recognize a snake hiding in tall grass immediately, and to think in terms of what it means to us — i.e. a threat to our life, than to consider it as equally important information as anything else in our surrounding. In such an instance, even if we were wrong about taking something personally, it is better to have been wrong and alive, than to be dead. Our survival depends greatly on perceiving the world in terms of what it means to us. We cannot picture a world outside of what it means to us.
The society’s perspective
Our familial and societal needs add additional layers of complexity to our perception of the world. For example, one cannot simply disregard traffic laws because one doesn’t care for it, but rather have to follow the rules of the society in which one exists. As members of a society, we have to see the world through our eyes and also through the eyes of the society in which we live. This often referred to as the social contract.
The wants and needs of our families and communities are so extensively intertwined with our own, such that it is rather impossible to see past it. For example, people often mistakenly consider their sense of morality as their own, but when in actuality, it is formed out of the society in which we live. The things and people we value are greatly influenced by the values of the community in which we grew up.
“It takes a village to raise a child.”
~ An African Proverb
Although our egos try to convince us of our uniqueness, the above proverb rings true, because in reality, the community that surrounds us, greatly influences the trajectory of our lives, including our tastes and values. We cultivate our values throughout our lives by drawing from the experiences we have had in our community, including the stories we hear and the relationships we form along the way.
This means that our perspectives are heavily distorted not only based on our brain’s interpretation of the scenarios, but also by the values instilled on us by our families and societies.
So how does one learn how to see past it all?
The purest form of the truth
Attempting to grasp the truth in the absolute sense is pointless. Truth in the purest sense cannot be understood because our mind and our senses alter and disrupt the information present in the world.
Therefore, truth can only be known in terms of what can be understood by our mind and our senses. In other words, we can only understand truth as it seems to us i.e. the relative truth.
Why can’t we just make up our own truths?
Human beings have put in a great amount of effort to manipulate the perception of reality: on a small scale—with the use of propaganda and public relations, and on a large scale — by making-up other worlds to give ourselves hope and to help us bear through suffering. However, these made up narratives fail to stand through the test of time, as people eventually see through the lies and the attempts at self-deception. It is impossible to lie to oneself, and therefore, once a truth is realized and we have seen behind the veil, there is no going back.
“For light I go directly to the Source of light, not to any of the reflections.”
~ Peace Pilgrim
Some people think that we should dismiss the search for truth completely because truth can never be understood since our minds and senses are limited, but we still need to understand the truth so that we can get what we need or want from this world. Just because truth in the absolute purest sense cannot be understood, doesn’t mean that truth that can be perceived by human beings, as individuals, is not equally valuable.
But why is truth so valuable?
“For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled.”
~ Richard Feynman
If we value progress — which in other words means that we wish to have control over our lives and get what we want, we need to continually strive towards improving our understanding of reality.
The better our understanding of the truth, the better we will get at improving outcomes like our chances of survival. A great example of this is seen with advancements in medicine, which has vastly improved our lifespans and improved our standard of living.
If we can study the world, we can improve our understanding of the world, which will help us use its many resources in a manner that is useful for our existence.
Truth is relative, but the degree of differences between the relative truths is smaller between genetically similar beings because our individual minds and senses generally have the exact same limitations and abilities — not to mention that we have similar wants and needs.
If you want to have life your way, it is important to understand the truth.
How do we know what we know is true?
Ultimately, there is only one real test for truth, which is the outcome. The better the truth, the better it will be at predicting the outcomes. Improved understanding of the world can lead to better actions, which can increase our ability to achieve desired outcomes.
For example, whether or not a pill will be helpful for a specific medical condition depends entirely on whether it has consistently helped in the past, over a long period of time. All other arguments for whether or not something works are going to be based on assumptions and hypotheticals, which have temporary perceived value, but will not survive the test of time.
Why do people generally not care about the truth?
Living in a human society is like living in a protected bubble, because outside of such a bubble, the danger of having a false belief i.e. one that is not tied to positive outcomes is death. However, inside of our society bubble, people can freely hold on to superstitions despite having no relation to outcomes, because the cost of holding on to an incorrect belief i.e. risk of death is low.
The more advanced the society becomes, the bigger the bubble gets, and the more protected the individuals are on the inside from actual harm because the advancements greatly reduce all major risks. However, this does not mean that we should start ignoring the relation of truth to outcomes, because if the society, as a whole, starts believing in false ideas, then the risks start increasing again.
The evolving truth
We cannot easily know all there is to know about life, because we cannot be everywhere at once, to absorb all that information. Even if we were somehow able to do so, our brain prioritizes information automatically in a form that relates to us. If our brain did not do this, then we would be overwhelmed by the information, like a deer caught in the headlights, and be unable to act.
In other words, not all information is readily available to be perceived by our senses. More experience leads to more data points, and more data points means better understanding of patterns, which then leads to creation of better models of reality, and then eventually leads to better outcomes.
You might not have all the information readily available in front of you or in terms that can be understood by you. Therefore, as more information is made available or can be understood, this relative truth should be refined continuously, which brings it closer and closer to the purest form of the relative truth. Everything is only true to the extent that the information is understandable and available to you.
Relative truth is true according to what is known now, and new information should always continue to refine it.
For further exploring:
Nietzsche’s Will to Truth