Objective truth, harmony, and freedom of conscience
Objective truth can never be developed through force. In fact, and this part is likely counterintuitive to most, the discovery of objective truth is made possible only through respect (not necessarily acceptance) of the subjective truth of others. Make no mistake, there is absolute truth, and to ignore it, creates so much suffering. The question is, how do you get the minds of people to seek it?
If stakeholders act to protect the right of others to have freedom of thought on a subject, then the discovery of objective truth is possible–harmoniously. Otherwise, individuals must, themselves, act to protect their personal freedom of conscience, and in so doing, inadvertently wall off the insights (and truths) of others.
When the right to freedom of thought (and speech) is rejected, oppressive acts are eventually undertaken to enforce a point of view upon another.
Definitions –
- Subjective Truth – The truth an individual holds. It is a hypothesis that meets the necessary condition.
- Objective Truth – The objective truth is a hypothesis that all the stakeholders agree is true. Stakeholders are individuals or groups that have an interest (something to lose or gain) in a question. See the additional definition below.
- Absolute Truth – Absolute truth is God’s truth. It exists, but is unclaimable. In other words, though a hypothesis might be the absolute truth, one can never claim that they have found it, because they cannot KNOW if it is true. Only God knows. An unclaimable absolute truth is key to reason.
Note Further: Reason is not a solution, but instead, it is a state of mind.
The process for finding objective truth –
The search for objective truth is a trivial process (assuming good faith). Specifically, the process is easy to describe, but not an easy process to accept or undertake:
Understand why the other person or group sees their truth, the one that conflicts with yours, is true to them.
If, at some point, one concludes that the other person is wrong, then they will have likely ended the pursuit of objective truth, and simultaneously provoked the other person’s Ego in defense of their own subjective truth. Resist this temptation. The goal is not to convince the other person why they are wrong, but to understand why they see their truth as true. Understanding is reasoning’s goal. If the stakeholders pursue understanding in good faith, discovery of objective truth is within reach.
Yes, all stakeholders must participate in this way. When one attacks the views of another as wrong, all Egos emerge to defend their subjective truths. Everyone must be reasonable, or no one can be.
Freedom of conscience is key
It is critical to allow others to hold their truths, their freedom of conscience, for as long as it takes, or forever, if need be. To do otherwise, insures that stakeholders will be deprived of the potential to reach an objective truth that they all share. Subjective beliefs are “owned” by the individual’s Ego. To demand the Ego surrender a belief will almost certainly provoke the defensive emotions of the Ego. The Ego itself, must choose, to evolve. It will do this only upon its own safety. This may take considerable time and reflection by the individual.
Good faith
A truth held in good faith does not come to the advantage of one stakeholder to disadvantage of another.
Hierarchy of truth
Sometimes, subjective truths are built upon other subjective truths. However, objective truths are never built upon subjective truths. Each subjective truth of the other person must be discovered and understood at lower levels before those at higher levels can be understood or accepted as objected truths.
Patience
Have the patience to understand the truths of others as they have come to know them. Wisdom is the reward.
WARNING: If a search for understanding is driven by desire to achieve a policy goal, like neither will occur. In the latter case, the policy goal might be achieved, but only by the oppressions of the rights of some of the stakeholders.
Objective truth as understood by Pope John Paul II in …
“Every truth—if it really is truth—presents itself as universal, even if it is not the whole truth. If something is true, then it must be true for all people and at all times. Beyond this universality, however, people seek an absolute which might give to all their searching a meaning and an answer—something ultimate, which might serve as the ground of all things.”
