Re: Get Offended

["Alan D. Miller" <"Alan D. Miller"@educate.com>]

Jo Francis Byrd wrote:

>That could start a new new thread...what is truth.
>
>From what I have observed, truth is what we perceive. Have ten people witness
the
>EXACT same event, ask them about it, and you will get ten different accounts,
some
>of them VERY different. We see and hear though our sometimes preconceived
notions.
>Ever hear the saying, "None so blind as those who will not see?"
<snip>

That was the point of Parmenedes' argument. One cannot perceive truth with the
senses. Truth is only accessible through pure thought. "I can only think of that
which is [the truth]. I cannot think of that which is not [the truth]." (Words
to that effect ... there is some variation between translations, and I suspect,
the agendas of the translators).

Your example here has two consequential outcomes for our discussion. If
Parmenedes is correct, there is only one true knowable event, perceived in ten
different ways. If you are correct, there are ten different true events, one for
each observer. That may not be as absurd as I just (unintentionally) made it
sound. Quantum mechanics allows for the possibility of any number of possible
"truths" resulting from a single observation, and they can co-exist. (This
assumes, of course, that we do not confuse reality with truth.)

I cannot disagree that what we sense (I'm not limiting us to just seeing and
hearing) is filtered. What we filter and how we filter it are vastly different
for each of us. The old saying "None so blind ..." implies choice. I think those
truly blind to the "truth" are so not from choice. They cannot perceive clearly
through the filters installed by their culture, education, upbringing, religion,
environment, intellect, phase of the moon, etc. The best we can hope for is to
be aware of these filters on our perceptions and how they affect us, and our
readers. (Didn't think I would tie this back to our personal little "truth," did
you?)

Now back to the regularly scheduled crisis.

Al Miller
alan -dot- miller -at- educate -dot- com