Why Truth?

Why Truth?

 

Letter to friends and family, first written on November 20, 2017:

 

On this, my 68th birthday, I ask your indulgence to consider a dangerous philosophical question:

Why truth?

- and related questions:

 

Why justice?

Why honor?

Why honesty?

Why integrity?

 

- and so on. Why not their opposites: falsehood, tyranny, dishonor, lies and corruption?

I am not arguing in favor of those opposites; I shall leave that to Mr. Trump and his gang of dupes, collaborators and crooks. I am for truth, justice, honor, honesty and integrity, but I’d like to hear some reasons why. I question truth because I love it.

Trump and his gang have plenty of reasons for the lies that they love; though in truth those reasons are not reason; they are madness; for “why reason?” is another question in play here. Why reason? Why not madness?

Truth, justice, etc. all support each other; they argue for each other; but so do falsehood, tyranny, etc. The former group has a strategic, long-term advantage; but the latter has a short-term tactical advantage, as Mr. Trump’s gang has demonstrated. Truth can truly speak for itself, but falsehood can falsely speak for itself. Why favor one over the other?

I question truth because I love it. But why love? You can argue that truth, justice and reason lead to life, liberty and happiness; and these are true arguments. But why happiness? Why liberty? Why life?

Like I said, these questions are dangerous. I ask these dangerous questions because now they are political.

There is a paradox of origin at work here. Truth has true reasons for itself; those true reasons also have true reasons, and so on. But what starts the chain? Or perhaps it goes around in a circle, or a web. But what holds up the web? Something that’s not truth? But how reliable would such support be?

Perhaps the web of truth needs no support; it just floats, like Earth in space. But that would not be proof; it would be faith. Must we take truth on faith? And leave falsehood to pride?

 


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