by Jun Hyeok Park
To answer the question if we, as human, can reach the absolute truth, we have the consider what exactly the question is talking about by looking at the word "the Absolute Truth" and "the Absolute Meaning". The word Truth and Meaning may make sense and are self-explanatory by the words itself but the additional word "Absolute" in front of them makes itquite vague.
If the word "Absolute" here refers to the unimaginative and the undefinite viewpoint of God, then we can consider that the question itself is falsely stated. In this sense, the question can never be answered by any human being because it is asking the viewpoint of God which the human beings will never know. Since we cannot imagine what it is to see in the view of God, the question is not anymore valid for us.
Then what if it refers to something 'final' and 'finite'? Then we can pose the answer, "maybe". First of all, truth that we are talking about is not universal. People have different sets of minds and ways of thinking; thus, it is not simple enough to generalize if the truth and meaning can be found to every single person in this world. Unfortunately, there is not a mathematical formula to solve the x in this case which means that any scientific attempts to answer the question may be difficult. Second, we have to recall that the process of finding the truth and meaning is endless. It is an endless journey to find the meaning and truth; therefore, there is no such thing as 'final' or 'finite' answer to it. Lastly, we as human beings may be limited but we are not just a finite being stuck in our own body. The endless journey to find the truth may 'free' us from the limits and make us to see the world different which only can be derived from own will and experience, not by others.
Now, considering the points I posted above, the answer to the question can be either yes or no. Rather than fighting each other with yes or no, it is better to settle down with the answer "negatively maybe".
The truth in its purest form is already relative to existent human beings. This group of people may believe that what they are doing is the truth, but another group may disagree. When you add the idea of absolutism, you are right, it complicates matters more. Yet, defining the word absolute as something finite and final, we are given the opportunity to try to dissect what it really means. We are allowed to go through a path which enables us to go beyond our limitations as human beings.
ReplyDeleteKathleen Sun (A)
I think it would be easy to answer the question you ask in your title by looking back at Marcel. The truth is intersubjective. When we strive for the lighted place we will meet other people and their own truths. Therefore, it would almost be impossible to reach the absolute truth, but in a sense I guess we are all striving towards it. This false the same for meaning. When we talk about meaning, it also ready subjective to each of us because we are all unique. You're right is saying however that only God has and knows absolute truth an meaning.
ReplyDeleteFern Tensuan (C)
I do think there is an absolute truth but only God knows the absolute truth. We as humans know and believe in different truths and we cannot reach the absolute truth by ourselves because we are limited. We can just have a glimpse or "lights" of a part of that absolute truth. I also think the absolute truth is all the truths of all the people in the world, which only God knows.
ReplyDeleteDiane Cheng (C)
I think that when we say Absolute Truth and Absolute Meaning, we are looking at something that as Ferriols says, is superabundantly rich and has so much meaning and insight. Through reflection, different people gain different insights and develop their interpretations of the world. These differences come from who they are and the contexts they live in. Through the process of communicating with each other, they are able to share these experiences and go to the lighted place or the Truth. It is where people, reflecting upon their experiences, share their honest view of the world through their insights. It is in this lighted place by which we are able to grow and develop as people. Even though different people may have different interpretations and perspectives of what truth and meaning is, in the lighted place we try to communicate these meanings to each other and learn from what each other says. That is how the truth is developed and goes closer and closer to an Absolute Truth and an Absolute Meaning.
ReplyDeleteMiguel Co (A)
I do agree that there is no such thing as this "Absolute Truth" as we can never really see things from this Icarian point of view. We indeed cannot put ourselves in the place of God. As discussed from class, we are all truth-seekers placed in this intelligible milieu as truth, like what Fern said, is intersubjective, it differs from one person to another. As said in one blog post, I particularly liked how truth was related to that of a diamond, it has many different facets in which each facet is a truth of each individual. By looking through the different facets of this diamond we are able to get a glimpse of this indubitable truth more clearly.
ReplyDeleteFrenchi Baluyot (A)
Terms such as "Absolute Truth" and "Absolute Meaning" are only limited just by the fact that they were created by human beings. However, the idea of something absolute as an infinite and ungraspable cannot escape our thoughts. We may try to strive to reach this absolute truth, but given our circumstances, we cannot escape the limitations of being human. As said in class, we must have ontological humility in the sense that we must recognize the difference between our truth and an absolute truth. This argument regarding the infinite can also be seen in how we try to explain God's existence. However, we simply can't because the whole idea of God as an infinite and absolute beings puts Him in a place beyond that of us limited humans.
ReplyDeleteRobert Go (A)
I do believe that the concept of the existence of God itself is an absolute truth. This is solely my opinion. If one believes in such existence, then one should believe that absolutes exist, for God Himself is absolute. If there is no such thing as an "Absolute Truth" then one should not believe that He exists or the basis for one's belief in His existence can be shaky.
ReplyDeleteBut assuming that God's existence is not true for everybody, but assuming that He really does exist, then the concept of an "Absolute Truth" is still possible or is not affected at all, holding its ground. On the other hand, if such existence is not true at all, then, we can say that, yes, indeed, the concept of an "Absolute Truth" is not true at all. Everyone could have their own truths. But if truths are not absolutes then everything is a lie. Because what is true for one might not be true to another, ad infinitum. Then, should we say, that an "Absolute Un-Truth" exists? I don't want to say lie, because lie, gives negative connotations. Everyone thinks differently and has their own opinions, and these don't make their statements lies, but it may be that their truths aren't coinciding with each other, making the truth, an "un-truth." Since the saying that people have different truths, then should there be an "absolute untruth"? just because we know that everyone thinks differently? I believe that is what the consequence of saying that there is no thing such as an "Absolute Truth".
However, God also is ineffable. So if there is a large degree of ineffability in God, so yes, absolutes could also not be comprehended totally. But at least, the truth that God exists (in my opinion and I believe that He exists), is absolutely true.
No one is the bearer of the "absolute truth" in this world, the closest thing we can get to the absolute, is a consensus. God is the holder of the "absolute truth" as he is the omnicient infinity, that shines the light that we as the human race are drawn to, the light that brings us closer to finding the truth, the manifestation of the lighted place.
Menardo Miguel A. Jimenez (A)
The difference between both has always been a complex one, especially on the topic of discussing the existence of such absolute truth. Truth has always been a journey to venture on-- something big and great to feast our eyes upon. Why? Truth drives us. The fact that we try to really differentiate truth, in light of absolute truth and meaning, the intention and action of finding the difference of both or merely talking about it, goes to show how humanity is driven to find some certainty.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason why no one can fully pinpoint, or touch the thought of truth, is that it is something untangible for most of us. The complexity of finding such absolute truth exists is because we, by nature, has always been somehow skeptical in life. I think we are secretly pragmatists, where we want certainty, we value practicality. This nature then somehow clouds us on the possibility of how such absolute certainty can exist. Now, I am not saying it completely exist. But for me, I think we should not hinder ourselves in seeing some things through. It is normal to want certainty in some aspects, but I think sometimes, we should give chance to the miracle of possibilities out there. My point is-- is to not fully close the idea of having an absolute truth. My take is to allow ourselves, our beings, transcend in that lighted place, as Marcel puts it, and allow ourselves to bask in our thoughts of "what ifs and uncertainties". Who knows, we might discover other truths and meanings that could show us more light.
Denise Tan (A)
To say that the answer as to whether or not we can reach the Absolute Truth and find Absolute Meaning is "negatively maybe" is quite an Atenean thing to say.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you previously said that the truth we are talking about is not universal. Everyone has their own perspectives and viewpoints. There are no two people in this world who are exactly the same- even identical twins with their physical characteristics. An individual's very own lived experiences which only he himself had lived out and experienced is what shapes the way in which he perceives and thinks of things. These days, the world has become a very subjective place and nothing is ever completely objective. Even the news which seems to be objective is not. What we hear on television or read on the newspapers do not tell the whole story, instead they only represent what the reporter THINKS is important for us to know.
As what Father Ferriols mentioned in his lecture for The Last Lecture, forming questions and answering them is a never-ending cycle. Questions bring about answer and these answers bring about more questions. Therefore, when we answer our initial questions about Absolute Truth and Absolute Meaning, won't that just generate more questions? And so, when we ask more questions, doesn't that mean that we did not reach the Absolute Truth and find the Absolute Meaning? Human curiosity is an insatiable thing and will continue to wonder.
As for my answer as to whether we can reach the Absolute Truth and find the Absolute Meaning or not, I would have to say no. No, we cannot reach the Absolute Truth and Absolute Meaning because for us to say that something is absolute, it is something that should be agreed upon by everyone. But as we have already established, there is nothing now that is completely objective because we all have our different opinions and perspective on what we believe to be true or not.
Clarice Libunao (C)