An Extended Definition of Truth
For our second essay in my English Composition II class, we were asked to write an extended definition. This is what I came up with:
This is Truth
I lie
I lie
I lie until I truth
I truth
I truth
This is truth. Truth is a word that is thrown around every day, on the news, in the papers, on the internet. Truth is a word used to define a whole range of ideals (I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth). Think about the word itself for a moment, and an interesting thing comes to mind. Truth is a noun. It is a thing, an idea, but it is never a verb, never an action. (She tells the truth. The truth is out there. I truth. He truths. You truthed. They will truth.) A lie, however, the opposite of truth, is a noun, a thing, an idea, but it is also a verb. It is an action that can be done. (He tells a lie. The lie will be discovered. You lie. She lies. I lied. They all will lie.) Truth is both concrete and ephermal, containing within five letters a host of ideas and concepts. If we strip down the layers, like an onion, like an ogre, we can find the heart of it, expose it, and know it.
This is truth. When we were kids, we used to cross our hearts and hope to die, and occasionally claim to stick a needle in our eye. This meant, of course, that what we were saying was the truth, and if it wasn’t, then we would die, or poke out an eye. Or maybe both, which I am sure would be much worse. As kids, truth was simple. If it wasn’t truth, it was a lie. A lie. An opposite of truth. A thing meant to deceive. Something you tell to get yourself out of trouble. A sin that goes against the ten commandments. This version of truth is simple, meaning anything that is fact, that happened, that is known, or at least not known to be false.
This is truth. We grew up a little bit, watched a little television, saw a couple movies, and then it happened. We watched Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi and our definition of truth was forced to change, to evolve. Because Obi-Wan Kenobi, who is the ultimate source of wisdom in the entire galaxy, lied, that is to say, not told the truth, according the old definition. This new definition that he brings forth is a bit more flexible, and it opened up all sorts of opportunities. It all depends on where you stand, and where you are looking, because from a certain point of view, anything can be true. Your mom asks if you cleaned your room. Of course you did. It just might not have been today, it might have been last week, or maybe even last year, but from a certain point of view, you are telling the truth.
This is truth. As we get a little older, our definition is forced to take on new meanings, new facets. We get into science classes and are given hard and fast rules that we are told are truth. Things like the Law of Falling Bodies, and the Laws that govern the way the planets move around the sun, and the speed of light. We are given a list of reasons why these things are true, and are told that everything we know right now has been tested over and over again, and even now it continues to go through tests, and if someday it is proved wrong (not truth) then we will have a new Law and that one will be tested over and over until it is proven wrong (not truth).
And this is truth. We go to church and are given these hard and fast rules that we are told are Truth. Things like the world was created in seven days, and Jesus was the Christ that was born on Christmas and died on Good Friday and came back from the dead on Easter. We aren’t given any proof except a single book that has supposedly been passed down since words first were used by this one civilization. We are simply told, this is the truth, and if you believe you are saved. And this is the Truth, and the only Truth.
This is truth. This idea, so simple when we were kids, is no longer easy, no longer simply cross my heart and hope to die. There are decisions to be made that will determine which truth is the one that we will accept as our truth, or if we will attempt to reconcile the many truths that linger around us.
This is truth. There is another arena of truth that must be explored. Politicians say things that don’t always match up with their personal beliefs, or with their actions. Yet they claim them to be truth. If a promise is made, and not fulfilled, is that considered to be a lie? When the one making the promise knows that he or she is promising things outside of their direct control, then I say yes, which makes it not truth.
This is truth. That sometimes what we believe to be true isn’t, and that what we believe to be untrue is. So, if you are asked if it is true that Elvis is dead, but you believe it to be false, with all of what you know, is it still true? If you are dosed with veritaserum, and are asked that same question, will you be able to answer “No, Elvis is still alive”? This is what you believe, and therefore it is your truth. There is your truth and my truth, my brother’s truth, my mother’s truth and your mother’s truth, and President Obama’s truth and Sarah Palin’s truth. We can claim to believe the same things, but there are differences, sometimes small, sometimes large.
This is truth. One plus one equals two and one minus one is zero, while one times one is always one, just as any number to the first power is itself. Any number dividing zero is zero, but zero defining any number does not exist, it is undefined. Mathematics claims to hold truth within its numbers and calculations, that everything can be reduced to an equality sign.
This is truth. In logic, statements can be determined as true or false with formula. With two statements “p” and “q” we are able to determine the truth of combination statements. If we are given a third statement “r” the compounds become much more complex, but still reducible to true/false statements. It is truth that if p is true and q is false, then “p and q” is false, but “q or p” is true, and “if q then p” is false, but “if p then q” is true, and “q if and only if p” is false. If q is true and p is true, then all the statements are true. If p and q are both false, then “p and q” is false, and “p or q” is false, and “if p then q” is true, and “if p then q” is true, and “p if and only if q” is true.
This is not truth. It is not logic and numbers and formulas, though these things can be derived from it. Math and logic do not make truth, they are proven by truth. Statements without context mean nothing. It doesn’t matter what science says. There are Laws, and they exist, and even if we do not know them yet, or are unable to define them, they are truth.
This is not truth. The truth is not necessarily your Truth, nor is it necessarily my Truth. For there is truth in it all, and none of it is the truth, only interpretation. (How can you say that your truth is better than mine?) Belief is not truth. Faith is not truth. The things that we believe and have faith in can be true, but not because we believe them. The truth is independent of our beliefs and understandings.
This is not truth. The truth is not a thing that can be manipulated with big words and patriotic speech. The truth cannot be hidden behind a flag, a cross, a gun, or a dollar bill. The truth is real, and if you present anything else, it is a lie. (push drugs and keep us all dumbed down, green belts wrapped around our minds, red tape to keep the truth confined)
This is not truth. The truth is not a point of view, no matter what we might want to believe. There is an answer to every question, there may be many answers to a question, in fact, but truth is not malleable. It is not clay that can be shaped and molded to fit a particular set of beliefs or desires. Truth is fact, and while it may not be easy, or simple, or hard, it is pure.
This is truth. We have held it up to the light, and seen the spectrum that came out the other side. We come away with a reason that truth cannot be a verb. It is not an action to be taken because it is the default. The lie is the thing that breaks the order. The lie must be pushed or pulled; it must be thought up or manipulated into being. The truth simply is.
This is truth. The truth is that which is not false. Truth is real. It is fact. Cross my heart and hope to die.
That is truth.
This is Truth
I lie
I lie
I lie until I truth
I truth
I truth
This is truth. Truth is a word that is thrown around every day, on the news, in the papers, on the internet. Truth is a word used to define a whole range of ideals (I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth). Think about the word itself for a moment, and an interesting thing comes to mind. Truth is a noun. It is a thing, an idea, but it is never a verb, never an action. (She tells the truth. The truth is out there. I truth. He truths. You truthed. They will truth.) A lie, however, the opposite of truth, is a noun, a thing, an idea, but it is also a verb. It is an action that can be done. (He tells a lie. The lie will be discovered. You lie. She lies. I lied. They all will lie.) Truth is both concrete and ephermal, containing within five letters a host of ideas and concepts. If we strip down the layers, like an onion, like an ogre, we can find the heart of it, expose it, and know it.
This is truth. When we were kids, we used to cross our hearts and hope to die, and occasionally claim to stick a needle in our eye. This meant, of course, that what we were saying was the truth, and if it wasn’t, then we would die, or poke out an eye. Or maybe both, which I am sure would be much worse. As kids, truth was simple. If it wasn’t truth, it was a lie. A lie. An opposite of truth. A thing meant to deceive. Something you tell to get yourself out of trouble. A sin that goes against the ten commandments. This version of truth is simple, meaning anything that is fact, that happened, that is known, or at least not known to be false.
This is truth. We grew up a little bit, watched a little television, saw a couple movies, and then it happened. We watched Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi and our definition of truth was forced to change, to evolve. Because Obi-Wan Kenobi, who is the ultimate source of wisdom in the entire galaxy, lied, that is to say, not told the truth, according the old definition. This new definition that he brings forth is a bit more flexible, and it opened up all sorts of opportunities. It all depends on where you stand, and where you are looking, because from a certain point of view, anything can be true. Your mom asks if you cleaned your room. Of course you did. It just might not have been today, it might have been last week, or maybe even last year, but from a certain point of view, you are telling the truth.
This is truth. As we get a little older, our definition is forced to take on new meanings, new facets. We get into science classes and are given hard and fast rules that we are told are truth. Things like the Law of Falling Bodies, and the Laws that govern the way the planets move around the sun, and the speed of light. We are given a list of reasons why these things are true, and are told that everything we know right now has been tested over and over again, and even now it continues to go through tests, and if someday it is proved wrong (not truth) then we will have a new Law and that one will be tested over and over until it is proven wrong (not truth).
And this is truth. We go to church and are given these hard and fast rules that we are told are Truth. Things like the world was created in seven days, and Jesus was the Christ that was born on Christmas and died on Good Friday and came back from the dead on Easter. We aren’t given any proof except a single book that has supposedly been passed down since words first were used by this one civilization. We are simply told, this is the truth, and if you believe you are saved. And this is the Truth, and the only Truth.
This is truth. This idea, so simple when we were kids, is no longer easy, no longer simply cross my heart and hope to die. There are decisions to be made that will determine which truth is the one that we will accept as our truth, or if we will attempt to reconcile the many truths that linger around us.
This is truth. There is another arena of truth that must be explored. Politicians say things that don’t always match up with their personal beliefs, or with their actions. Yet they claim them to be truth. If a promise is made, and not fulfilled, is that considered to be a lie? When the one making the promise knows that he or she is promising things outside of their direct control, then I say yes, which makes it not truth.
This is truth. That sometimes what we believe to be true isn’t, and that what we believe to be untrue is. So, if you are asked if it is true that Elvis is dead, but you believe it to be false, with all of what you know, is it still true? If you are dosed with veritaserum, and are asked that same question, will you be able to answer “No, Elvis is still alive”? This is what you believe, and therefore it is your truth. There is your truth and my truth, my brother’s truth, my mother’s truth and your mother’s truth, and President Obama’s truth and Sarah Palin’s truth. We can claim to believe the same things, but there are differences, sometimes small, sometimes large.
This is truth. One plus one equals two and one minus one is zero, while one times one is always one, just as any number to the first power is itself. Any number dividing zero is zero, but zero defining any number does not exist, it is undefined. Mathematics claims to hold truth within its numbers and calculations, that everything can be reduced to an equality sign.
This is truth. In logic, statements can be determined as true or false with formula. With two statements “p” and “q” we are able to determine the truth of combination statements. If we are given a third statement “r” the compounds become much more complex, but still reducible to true/false statements. It is truth that if p is true and q is false, then “p and q” is false, but “q or p” is true, and “if q then p” is false, but “if p then q” is true, and “q if and only if p” is false. If q is true and p is true, then all the statements are true. If p and q are both false, then “p and q” is false, and “p or q” is false, and “if p then q” is true, and “if p then q” is true, and “p if and only if q” is true.
This is not truth. It is not logic and numbers and formulas, though these things can be derived from it. Math and logic do not make truth, they are proven by truth. Statements without context mean nothing. It doesn’t matter what science says. There are Laws, and they exist, and even if we do not know them yet, or are unable to define them, they are truth.
This is not truth. The truth is not necessarily your Truth, nor is it necessarily my Truth. For there is truth in it all, and none of it is the truth, only interpretation. (How can you say that your truth is better than mine?) Belief is not truth. Faith is not truth. The things that we believe and have faith in can be true, but not because we believe them. The truth is independent of our beliefs and understandings.
This is not truth. The truth is not a thing that can be manipulated with big words and patriotic speech. The truth cannot be hidden behind a flag, a cross, a gun, or a dollar bill. The truth is real, and if you present anything else, it is a lie. (push drugs and keep us all dumbed down, green belts wrapped around our minds, red tape to keep the truth confined)
This is not truth. The truth is not a point of view, no matter what we might want to believe. There is an answer to every question, there may be many answers to a question, in fact, but truth is not malleable. It is not clay that can be shaped and molded to fit a particular set of beliefs or desires. Truth is fact, and while it may not be easy, or simple, or hard, it is pure.
This is truth. We have held it up to the light, and seen the spectrum that came out the other side. We come away with a reason that truth cannot be a verb. It is not an action to be taken because it is the default. The lie is the thing that breaks the order. The lie must be pushed or pulled; it must be thought up or manipulated into being. The truth simply is.
This is truth. The truth is that which is not false. Truth is real. It is fact. Cross my heart and hope to die.
That is truth.