This is what happens when you give someone a thesaurus for Christmas.....

Pericles and Poirot,

It's a pity you can't attempt to appreciate a meager effort to compare and contrast the manipulations people are prone to make, wittingly or no, or the looseness which may be applied, to Truth (in anything). Whether allegory or metaphor I thought the imagery had some truth to its exposition, and some possibilities. I was hoping for a philosophical evaluation of the "truth" of that small presentation, but it appears you are only concerned to leap on cracks to criticize.

You know Pericles, these were two different possible perspectives on unraveling the intricacies of truth. Sorry if you cannot appreciate the difference.

There is so much manipulation and denial of truth so evident on this forum, and so few really willing to consider evidence for a contrary view when it presents. A pity it seems people always have to have some axe to grind, or someone else's view to trash.

Thanks for your concern for my well being in any event. I'm big enough to take it on the chin.

"What is truth?" Pilate asked.

(Gospel of John, 18:38)

It's not about you, Saltpetre. Unless of course you are in fact Smollett's ghost, operating under a pseudonym.

>>Thanks for your concern for my well being in any event. I'm big enough to take it on the chin.<<

Sentences such as those you quoted, operate in diametric opposition to any attempt to get at the "Truth" (your capitalization). Which is why I described them as fashion accessories, designed for show, rather than function.

>>Whether allegory or metaphor I thought the imagery had some truth to its exposition, and some possibilities.<<

But which imagery? The crystal or the onion? Surely not both? But wait...

>>You know Pericles, these were two different possible perspectives on unraveling the intricacies of truth. Sorry if you cannot appreciate the difference.<<

It was precisely "the difference" that I was drawing your attention to.

The problem is that employing both is to fudge the question entirely.

Even if you wanted to accept the dichotomy, and tried to weave some sort of discussion from it, it would fall at the first fence.

You would have to say "truth is anything I want it to be, crystal or onion". Or "truth is so elusive, it can be crystal to one, and onion to another". Either way, you reach a dead end immediately.

>>There is so much manipulation and denial of truth so evident on this forum<<

It is a forum for opinions. Opinions themselves are not illustrative of any truth except the fact that they are only opinions.

Don't forget, Smollett was not a philosopher, but a novelist.

In G.G. Urwin's 'Humorists Of The Eighteenth Century', he is described as "interested only in telling a story, without regard for any lesson it might teach". Which might explain his inability to frame a philosophical thought with any conviction.

Urwin also points out that "in everything he did he was hasty, prone to anger, highly prejudiced, puffed with his own importance."

Why does that fail to surprise?

Saltpetre,

I have to agree with Pericles' comments; those posts were definitely "ugh"--all verbiage and no content.
But don't take it to heart, we all waffle sometimes; I've posted plenty of stuff I wish I could retract.

I think "Truth" is a crock, dangerous too. Better to let God deal with "Truth"; the human perspective is much more limited and we should settle for relative truth and best course of action in the circumstances etc.--very close to pragmatism, but it can still be aspirational.

Just to clarify my criticism of science above; I absolutely think it should be taught in school, but in tandem with political/civil philosophy, ethics etc., and not merely as an end in itself. Indeed the Philosophy of Science is a discipline in itself and does consider these matters.

Saltpetre,

Yep, truth is a hard one to pin down, don't you think?

As Squeers said, we all waffle sometimes....You're a good sort who is often willing to look at things from more than one angle. It is difficult not take it to heart when we get pulled up - but in the end, we're all here to learn something (hopefully).

Cheers