TRUTH?

Dr. Khurshid Alam London 21/3/2012

I am in search to find a correct meaning of truth or the definition of truth. The more I read the more I get confused. The reason is the lack of knowledge. The other reason could be unless we can define lies or falsehood, we cannot define the truth. Or unless we can totally disengage subjectivity from objectivity we cannot define the two words definitively. But that is not an easy task to minus subjectivity from objectivity.

Science terms any thing true or fact which could be reproduce in its original form. But scientific evolution is an eternal process. Things that can't be proved to day the technology may prove it tomorrow. Who knows about the day that will have no tomorrow.

Theologists are least concerned to provide proofs and facts but ask us to believe.

The philosophers are working in the grey area between scientific facts and theological dogmas. As some one said they are masturbating with intellectualism.

To politicians, the opinion of majority is a fact unless proved otherwise. There is a big pre-conditionality attached. That also depends on our capability to observe and interpret. It can be termed as a collective wisdom but not truth. Statistics and acceptability to the social values has its part to play in this view. It will be difficult to give a blanket statement that the minority point of view is untrue. Things can be true but not provable.

Any how truth is definitely there in its absolute form because we cannot discord the reality. We know this for sure that any thing which accords reality is truth. But to know reality confront us with yet another challenge. We can give cautious opinion that something that does not change depending upon who is looking at it is reality and by the same token it should be viewed as truth.

We cannot correlate truth with humanity. It is mortal and change its character with passage of time. We can say some thing is good or bad for that period of time but cannot say it is true or false. To hold on to some thing could be termed not the whole truth but does not qualify either truth or false.

Nehru wrote to Indra that any thing which one cannot speak to the millions without guilt complex is not true. I believe the same was the opinion of Abdul Ghaffar Khan, popularly known as frontier Gandhi. But the feeling of guilt does not wash out the element of subjectivity and fall out of social values that hinders free thinking.

I have reached to this conclusion that scientifically it is not possible for a person like me to elaborate more than what Nehru has said. Truth does need some a degree of intelligence. As Bertrand Russell say that it is not wise to believe a stupid that what a wise man said? As he has understood what was said according to his intelligence and interpreted accordingly.