Hi RandomGuy,

I've got to be honest with you - I don't know
what the answer is to your question of "What is
truth?" And whether there is such a thing as
absolute truth. I don't have the answers to all
the big questions in life as I'm still on my
journey of discovery. I don't think that Truth
can be owned by anyone - because things can
always be disproved as new facts are found.
Some people believe that without a God, morals
are relative and arbitrary. However as Richard
Dawkins tells us - "their source of absolute
morality is usually a Holy Book of some kind
interpreted as having an authority far beyond its
history's capacity to justify...very few people
look into the historical origins of their Holy
Books."

I guess what it comes down to is what people believe
or want to believe. I don't think anything is set in
stone. Take patriotism, "My Country Right or Wrong!"
This slogan commits the professional soldier to kill
whomever the politicians choose to call enemies.
And that's only one example of the effects of an
"absolute truth." That's why I'm somewhat reluctant
to say - "there are absolute truths," I'd rather say
that some people believe there are.

The closest thing to an absolute truth that I've read on
this thread came from onthebeach - who gave as his answer -
"your mortality." Brilliant reply.

<< Are you absolutely sure of that? ;) >>

Yes Lexi, 1 + 1 = 2 and 2 + 2 = 4.

But now hold on… that doesn’t mean that it always applies. I’m sure you could find examples where it doesn’t.

But if it doesn’t always apply, it doesn’t mean it isn’t an absolute concept in other cases, ie; the absolute truth.

Can you think of an example where it doesn’t apply and one where it absolutely does?

I doubt whether our treasurer believes 1 + 1= 2

Dear Ludwig,

In binary arithmetic:

1 + 1 = 10. 2 does not exist.

'The truth is rarely pure and never simple.'
- Oscar Wilde

Sometimes people can believe strongly something to be true even if it is not. Most things are impossible to prove absolutely.

Look at economic or ideology. Much of the 'truths' spouted are conjecture. It is all based on how people think societies should be structured, concentration of power, risk management, beliefs about effects and overall benefits eg. regulation vs deregulation.

There are no truths as such, just opinion.

David f is correct.

And on the planet Zog they know that in their system the ideogram of 2 + 2 = 3 is correct.

2 + 2 = 4 is only true on Earth because someone invented in their mind.