The concept of absolute truth has been debated for millennia. While some believe in relative truths, it is difficult to refute the existence of absolute truth. Science tends to avoid absolutism, and many religions contain absolute truths. Well-functioning societies require agreed-upon truths, whether they are absolute or universal.
An absolute truth, sometimes called a universal truth, is an unalterable and permanent fact. The concept of absolute truths – what they are and if they exist – has been debated among many different groups of people. Philosophers have delved into the mud of defining absolute truth for millennia. Alternatively, many believe in relative truths, where the facts may vary depending on the circumstances.
It is difficult to refute the concept of absolute truth, since to say that there are no absolute truths – that it is absolutely true that there is no absolute truth – is itself an absolute truth. One can say, “From what I know, I believe there are no absolute truths.” However, this is dark territory.
There are some things that we can all agree are absolutely true, but they depend on agreement in definition. Take, for example, the case where a person has a cat at home. Of course, no one would agree, as an absolute truth, that this cat “was the cutest cat in the world”. However, most people would agree, as there was a cat in the house at that very moment. Some might quibble that people might define “cat” differently; that is, some may not describe a lion in a house as “a cat in a house.”
People often look to science to determine whether something constitutes absolute truth, but science tends to avoid absolutism. Even when scientists reasonably believe an explanation, it is often presented as theory or evidence. However, as we advance in science, we often find ourselves refuting the evidence. Yet a large amount of evidence on an argument makes it more probable, but doesn’t make it an absolute truth.
Many religions contain absolute truths. For example, a Christian might say, “I know Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. By following his teachings, he will live in heaven when he dies ”. For the Christian this can be an absolute truth. Imposing this statement on others is where this absolute truth, for the Christian, is debated. While many may agree that the Christian absolutely believes that Jesus is Lord of them, they are unlikely to agree that Jesus is Lord of all is an absolute truth. When one person’s absolute truth is extended to all others, it can be seen as a philosophical statement of exclusion. Those who do not approve of another’s absolute truth are pitied or attacked.
However, well-functioning societies and communities are often based on certain agreed-upon truths. For example, the United States considers rape and murder as crimes and uses language to define rape and murder. A company’s failure to define these terms and agree on their definition could wreak havoc.
So while absolute truths may be hard to find and hard to agree on, a certain amount of truth is generally required for a properly functioning society. Whether these truths are absolute or universal is a question that has been and will likely continue to be debated.
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