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drichard's picture

world without truth: a response

I've been entertaining the idea of a world without truth for quite some time now. I had what the Catholic church calls a "faith crisis" during my senior year of high school and ever since I have been engaging reality in a very intense, personal dialogue. There are times when I am certain only of uncertainty in this world (indeed, I often feel this way).This makes the study of science awkward for me. However, Prof. Grobstein's focus on the conceptual aspects of science rather than the technical has allowed me a way into neurobiology. The box model and the idea of science as a summary of observations, as a function of our perceptions, rather than a sterile set of prescribed rules makes much more sense to me at this point in my life.

In response to your ideas on religion, I think faith is based on a summary of observations. I don't think they are mutually exclusive. In order to have any real meaning in your relationship with God/a higher being/the object of your beliefs you must challenge your faith. From these challenges come a summary of observations that inform and define your faith. Also, Eastern philosophy and religion (for example, Buddhism) deals with the nature of reality in a drastically different way than Western philosophy. They seem much more at peace with the idea of a world in flux and an ever-changing body of knowledge. In this way, truth can be, in part, a function of culture. This disparity serves the argument for prevailing uncertainty well.

When it comes to the human experience without truth and its effect on our quality of life, we have to ask ourselves an imperative question: are we interested in comfort or truth? If the ultimate and, in effect, only truth is that there is no truth, would we rather accept this and try to make our lives meaningful in the face of it, or would we prefer to turn a blind eye to it for the sake of contentedness/happiness? Happiness, I think, resides in the truth more than it does in something artificial. 

As for love, I don't think it's ever certain; this has been my experience at least. I think this uncertainty, however, is what makes love so fascinating and wonderful. If we could "calculate" love or be totally certain of it, it would lose its mystery; romance would have no place in human lives. I like romance.

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