The Nature of Truth and How it Applies to Research

In our group, we faced a sharp disagreement about what truth is fundamentally. The only thing we managed to agree on is that a fact is something that can be proven. Beyond that, no more general statements about truth could be agreed upon. Certain anonymous group members insisted that there is only one "truth" that exists, and people who agree with it are "right" and people who don't are "wrong". However, to me "truth" is something that exists not at a higher level, but within a person. Therefore, someone can be "right" when they beleive what is "true" to them, and that doesn't necessarily mean that anyone who disagrees is "wrong". The basic arguement is whether truth exists on a universal basis or an individual one.

Of course, if truth is something that varies from person to person, it complicates the process of research. It highlights the reason why you cannot get all your information from one source alone, no matter how respectable or convincing the information seems to be. To find your own truth, you must be exposed to the truths of others. If you end up agreeing 100% with one source or another, that's great, but at least you heard the arguements of others before you made that choice. More often than not, though, you're going to find that what you beleive comes from bits and peices of many sources.

Of course there are certain things that must be gnerally recognized as truth. The fact that there are 17 protons in a Chlorine atom or that a year is 365 days isn't a matter of arguement; its a matter of counting. No one can dispute these facts, and thats what makes them facts. But so much of the information we will deal with in this community project will be things that can be argued such as purpose or value. In these circumstances, it is important to remember that everyone will have their own unique version of the truth, and your's does not have to follow anyone else's. So the "truths" you write about will be fully your's, and it will be up to you to support them and make them convincing.