Too many people are concerned about what to think, rather than how to think.  Fear of judgment by others, following a trend, acceptance, etc.  Our society has devolved into sound bites and quick judgments vs. research, comprehension and thoughtful discourse.

If more people prepared their minds to more efficiently and thoroughly process information, rather than learn by blindly accept the rote repetition of talking points, we would all be better off.  Preparing our children to do well on a test vs. think for themselves has begun to produce a society of sheep who are easily coerced.  Good for marketing and campaign managers, bad for society as a whole.

A society of people who are willing to accept talking points, as the truth, without thoughtful contemplation of evidence, is dangerous.  In addition, many will go through life unable to appreciate the true nature of things, the richness of human thought, and all the universe has to offer.

I am thankful for a forum like this where I can engage with people who have dedicated themselves to a deeper understanding of things.  It gives me hope that we can someday stem the tide.  I just wish I could find more in my daily life who have done the same.

“They must find it difficult, those who have taken authority as truth, rather than truth as authority.” —Gerald Massey

There are several kinds of truth. Most of them fit under the statement offered by someone in an earlier post: “‘Truth’ is simply a human claim about that reality which corresponds to reality.”

Among these are:

1. Historical truths, which we Humanists say are best arrived at by accepted methods of historical research, including physical evidence where such is available; and

2. Scientific truth, which is best arrived at via the scientific method;

However, another kind of Truth does not fit under this heading: Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am, which I would expand to “I think, feel and act, therefore I am.” This latter statement encompasses all the domains of Being, not just the intellect.

The human experience is at the core of all we value, including reason. Whether it corresponds to any objective reality or not, this is still the experience that we call our lives, and as such it is what we value, most of us anyway. You could even call this revealed Truth: the Truth revealed from within, our experience. Fascinating how this invokes metaphors from at least one major religion.

If we accept that others are having the same kind of human experience we are having (I suppose that’s a human claim about the nature of reality), then we are led inescapably to another Truth: the Truth of our common humanity. That is the Truth that binds us together and makes society possible. In Chatlos’ Human Faith model, we call it the Truth force, one of the great creative forces in human relations.

morgantj - 24 September 2007 12:30 PM

“They must find it difficult, those who have taken authority as truth, rather than truth as authority.” —Gerald Massey

Caltech’s motto is “The truth shall make you free.”

And then there is the quote in the mural at Walker Memorial Dining Hall at MIT, from Genesis [in Latin]
“Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”