The Only Truth Existing Essay Example

one person sees a dog as a faithful companion can greatly differ from another's perception of dogs as humanity's biggest foes. Likewise, an item that one individual labels as a pencil may be viewed by someone else as something entirely distinct such as a hairpin. Similarly, while one person may consider a bottle to be a musical instrument, another individual might perceive it as a toy or merely as a vessel for drinks.

Just as understanding a tree can be compared to understanding a moving vehicle, like a "car," our personal experiences and interpretations greatly shape our perception of truths. Various factors play a significant role in shaping our individual realities, whether it relates to an idea, object, or language. It is important to recognize that perceptions—except for the perception of existence—are uncertain in terms of accuracy for each person. All thoughts have the potential to be refuted, except for the thought we are presently having.

Norman Malcolm, the author of the article "Knowledge Regained," argues that any empirical proposition can potentially be proven false by future experiences. This is exemplified by the shift from the notion of the earth being flat to its current understanding as round. In the past, the belief in a flat earth was widely accepted due to observations and sensory perceptions. However, accepting the truth of a round earth meant acknowledging that what was previously believed to be true was actually false. Moreover, what if, in the future, a more knowledgeable group of observers claimed that the earth has a shape previously unknown to us? Would we be willing to accept their observation as a more accurate representation of the earth's

shape?

The text emphasizes that experts' observations can alter our understanding of truth. It suggests that our previous beliefs may be disproven and our current knowledge might not actually be accurate. Furthermore, the text explores how truth can be refuted by perception and appearance. It mentions Bertrand Russell's concept of appearance versus reality, which explains how different viewpoints can influence our perception of a table. According to Russell, the distribution of colors on a table varies for each observer, as no two individuals have the exact same perspective. He even points out that what one person perceives as green, another might see as red from a different viewpoint.

And what appears to have color in the light is actually colorless in the dark. A shape that appears to be a rectangle from one viewpoint may appear oval from another viewpoint. The perception of the table's hardness can vary, as it may feel hard when touched with fingertips but soft when touched with the cheek. The hardness of the table can only be determined by the pressure applied and the judgement of the sensation.

No assumptions can be considered completely accurate because there is no definitive perspective or perception of the table. The various ways to evaluate color, shape, and texture of an object do not provide a singular standard for judgment. Every object is inherently contradictory, and its perception and usefulness can be questioned. Our experiences from our own natural existence introduce a subjective bias that contradicts the notion of absolute truth. The validity of ideas and objects is determined by our personal assessment of their relationships and relevance to our own being. However, these relationships may differ

from another person's beliefs and contradict my own.

"I think, therefore I am" is the only statement that holds any validity in our search for certainty. While we cannot verify the validity of our reality, reason, logic, and perception for everyone, we can examine the validity of our existence through our ability to think and exist.