Is There Truly Only One Absolute Truth?

Today, there is a pluralistic movement that argues there isn't only one truth, but each person can create their own truth, even if a relative truth exists. Indeed, while there is relative truth, such as people deemed beautiful by some and ugly by others, it is still logical to believe that absolute truth exists. For example: Is there a God? There is only one answer to this question: yes or no. It doesn't make sense to say He exists for me but not for you. Out of convenience, many claim this too is possible, but these people are not objective; it cannot be said that their thinking is not biased, as otherwise, without a doubt, they would reach the truth. In fact, they prefer to believe what is more convenient; for some people it is "worthwhile" that there is a God, while for others it is "not worthwhile," as it may interfere with implementing their ideas and fulfilling their plans.

We can thus summarize the definition of truth and the way to achieve it with an allegory: Imagine finding yourself observing the trial of a person accused of breaking into a house in an upscale neighborhood, aiming a weapon at the residents, enabling his accomplice to empty a jewelry cabinet. The robbery ended without injuries or fatalities. The robbers managed to escape, leaving behind a family that suffered a severe trauma and was mentally harmed. The judges in court are trying to determine who is behind the robbery and who is guilty of planning it, focusing on attributing the main act. In other words, the court must seek and reveal the truth. How does it do this? First, the crime must be proven with evidence, and then the hope is that the entire story will point to the suspect. However, we must know what is considered as presenting evidence by the court, and this is a more difficult task. Society has several accepted ways to prove truth. One way is the scientific approach. The scientist assumes a hypothesis and builds a theory upon it. He tries to prove the theory by presenting mathematical calculations, conducting experiments, and observing, among others. If indeed the scientist succeeds in proving his theory, he is deemed correct. However, only those who witnessed with their own eyes the process of experimentation and proof know for certain that it is truth. Another way to prove things is through testimony. People who saw the phenomenon with their own eyes can serve as evidence of the truth.

In our trial, the process is similar. There are witnesses who were present during the robbery. One testifies he saw the suspect leaving through the back door of the house. The other adds that at that time, he saw a parked car near the house with a license plate displaying the suspect's city of residence, and in addition, the family identifies the suspect who invaded their home. Still, the court is not completely convinced. After all, family members talked amongst themselves before providing their testimony, and they may have coordinated their positions, making their testimony potentially biased and false. However, if ten people who previously didn't know each other and hadn't exchanged information among themselves come to testify about the robbery, with no contradictions in their version, then the court will be convinced of the truth of the matter.

There is no doubt that any person hearing ten witnesses who did not know each other before, each describing the same event in precisely the same way, will be convinced the event they describe indeed occurred. We can therefore summarize: Truth is what we personally experience or what is described in detail, without contradictions, by a large number of people who had no chance of inventing the story together.

The same can be said for an entire community telling the same story about an event, in all its details, without any contradictions. In such a case, it cannot be argued that they fabricated the entire story. Thousands and tens of thousands of people cannot invent the same story.

From the book "Dan's Journey for the Meaning of Life," by Roni Dayan. To purchase the book at Hidabroot Shops,click here