So I ask you, Escapists.... What is the Truth?

[Barakiel]

We cannot assume what we know is true, or what they know is not.
After all, we could be wrong.

No-one ever knows what is true. There is only what they perceive to be true. Now, a fair few people would claim (and, in fact, this is how it seems to work) that truth is subjective, and that what the majority believe to be true, must be. After all - "fifty million french men can't be wrong!" -But this in itself is not true, since the minority can be utterly correct(I.E. Global Warming).

So I ask you,Escapists - How do you define the truth?

 

[Distorted Stu]

Google.

 

[Gxas]

Provide a lot of evidence and support, there you go. Truth. Provide none, I won't consider your proposition.

 

[Caimekaze]

Google.

No no, my good man. Wikipedia.


On a more related note: The truth, in my opinion, is a combination of my own assumptions, the opinions of others and factual evidence.

Once I've decided something is "true", I do not easily change my mind. It takes a lot of convincing, or the presence of new, overwhelming evidence.

 

[Nwabudike Morgan]

It's what I fucking say it is.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

You want the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

 

[Cherry Cola]

That as long as my ego remains intact I will never think myself wrong of course.

Hasn't that always been the definition of truth?

 

[Arkhangelsk]

Be considerate with what seems logical to you.

 

[Kajt]

Something that is proved by facts.

No exceptions.

 

[The_ModeRazor]

I r teh Truth.

There, you have it.
Your understanding of the universe just got deeper.

 

[Barakiel]

Heh, all interesting answers.

However, I believe you may have misread me.

I did say define, not discern, right?

Google.

Google would discern,

If a>b and b>c, a>c is true.

and so would a mathematical formula.

Provide a lot of evidence and support, there you go. Truth. Provide none, I won't consider your proposition.

I'm not exactly trying to prove anything - I believe I was asking for an answer of truth.

(On a side note, Dictionary.com has a wonderful definition, perhaps I should post that so someone else does not)

Google.

No no, my good man. Wikipedia.


On a more related note: The truth, in my opinion, is a combination of my own assumptions, the opinions of others and factual evidence.

Once I've decided something is "true", I do not easily change my mind. It takes a lot of convincing, or the presence of new, overwhelming evidence.

You, however, raise an interesting point.
If you combine assumptions and opinions, (with any amount of "factual" evidence) could you not be wrong?

Come to think of it, how often ARE you wrong?

 

[heaventorn]

Truth is a matter of perception. You can argue whatever you want to think truth is until you are blue in the face and it won't matter, because what we perceive as truth is just a bunch of electrical signals in our brain. When it comes down to it, the only absolute truth is numerical, in the fact that 1 is 1.

Lies, on the other hand, are very real.

 

[Three Eyed Cyclops]

There are no truths, only things that appear true within our frame of reference. As our frame of reference changes with time so does our understanding, thus things that appear to be the truth are no longer so in light of new information. This is evident in all forms of science and religion.

That said, I personally define 'truths' as ideas that are mostly likely facts. As a result they can be supported by evidence that indicate what is going on. Thus truths are dependent on what my senses tell me and for lack of better observation tools, I have to depend on them to not mislead me.

 

[Gxas]

Provide a lot of evidence and support, there you go. Truth. Provide none, I won't consider your proposition.

I'm not exactly trying to prove anything - I believe I was asking for an answer of truth.

I'm trying to figure out where you got turned around in my post. You asked for how I tell if something is the truth. My answer is that I know something is the truth if provided with a lot of evidence.

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

The truth is just permitted.

Nulla e realle. Tutto e lecito.
(Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.)

 

[Caimekaze]

Come to think of it, how often ARE you wrong?

Well, that depends. What are we talking about?

On a factual matter, it's not often that I'm wrong; I like to make sure of what I'm saying before I say it.

When it comes to opinions, however, I'm never wrong. It's simple, really; an opinion can't be wrong.

 

[Barakiel]

Provide a lot of evidence and support, there you go. Truth. Provide none, I won't consider your proposition.

I'm not exactly trying to prove anything - I believe I was asking for an answer of truth.

I'm trying to figure out where you got turned around in my post. You asked for how I tell if something is the truth. My answer is that I know something is the truth if provided with a lot of evidence.

And there is where you get turned around.
I never asked HOW you tell if something is the truth, did I?
I asked how you defined what the Truth is.