Truth Can Be Known

Can truth be discovered? Can it be known? Some critics of objective truth theories like to argue that we cannot know the truth. Let's put that claim to the test.

In the first instalment of this series on truth, we determined that truth exists. We then went on to discuss the nature of truth; that something is true if it corresponds with reality, that truth is narrow, and that it is discovered rather than created.

We Can Know Truth

So what about the claim that we cannot know the truth? Truth might well exist, but maybe it's somewhere out there, above our finite and limited comprehension. Maybe we don't have the capacity or the tools to discover the truth. This question is important, because for someone to arrive at the conclusion that the Christian worldview is true, it has to be possible for us to know that something is true. 

Not small things, like the colours of chairs or the kind of weather that we are able to observe that day. It is easy to determine the correspondence between claims and reality when it comes to simple facts like these. Instead we want to know if it is possible to know the truth about big things. Worldview questions such as "Is there a God?" or "Does my life have objective meaning?" Can we possibly discover the truth about existential questions such as these?

Let's demonstrate firstly that it is possible to know truth. Consider the claim "We can't know the truth."

This is another example of a self-destructing statement, just like "truth does not exist," which we examined in the first part of this series. When we apply the claim to itself, we are forced to wonder how we could know that it is true that we can't know truth. There is no way to verify the claim without falsifying it at the same time.

This means that it is possible to know the truth, which is important for our investigation into the truth of the Christian worldview. There is a fact of the matter about Christianity, that it is either a true or false worldview, and the truth or falsity of it can be known. But this leads to an obvious question: how do we determine what is true?

Discovering Truth

There are a few different ways that we can arrive at truth and be confident that we have found it. Let's consider a few complimentary approaches.

Science: Using the scientific method, we are able to observe repeatable phenomena and determine how natural systems and processes work. This is an excellent tool for investigating objects, forces and beings within the universe, but is not well-suited for determining whether or not God exists. This is because if there is a God, he is not made of matter or energy and is not located somewhere within the space-time universe, meaning that he cannot be subject to direct scientific observation. Still, we can use the findings of science about the nature and workings of the universe as evidence to support our theories or to guide our thinking about the question.

Logic: Reason itself helps us arrive at truth too. We can use the laws of thought to determine what is logically possible or impossible. For example, if it could be demonstrated that the concept of God contains a logical contradiction, such as the idea of a married bachelor does, then we could be confident that God cannot exist. A married bachelor cannot exist because to be a bachelor is to be unmarried by definition. The law of non-contradiction tells us that a thing cannot be its own opposite at the same time and in the same way. A man cannot be both married and unmarried at the same time and in the same sense. These logical boundaries also help us discover truth and will be very useful in determining whether or not the Christian worldview is true.

Philosophy: In addition to logic we can use other philosophical tools to arrive at true conclusions. While some people hold the view that philosophy is mostly about pointless navel-gazing, the reality is that philosophy is just about thinking clearly. If we want to arrive at truth, we need to think carefully and analyse the evidence to see where it leads. Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that particularly deals with things that transcend the physical and natural world, which makes it an important contributor to any worldview discussion involving supernatural beings.

It is possible to know truth, including the truth about the existence of God. The tools of philosophy and science help us to evaluate the evidence and arrive at a reasonable conclusion about which worldview is ultimately true. 

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