Category: philosophy
How To Think Straight
Everybody thinks everyday. There are no exceptions. But just because someone is thinking does not mean they are thinking correctly. Logic is like math, you have to get it right if you want the right answer. So how does someone think correctly?
Lucky for us, people have been thinking about thinking for thousands of years. The ancient Greek superstars such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle discovered many of the rules to logic. A lot of what they established is still taught in Critical Thinking and Basic Philosophy classes today.
Here are the basics of logic: propositions. Continue reading “How To Think Straight”
What is Truth? – PART 2
One of the oldest copies of the New Testament is the Rylands Papyrus P52 fragment which records a portion of the Gospel of John’s chapter 18. It contains the exchange between a beaten and bloodied Jesus and Roman procurator Pontius Pilate. “Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice,” states Jesus, to which the Roman officiate replies “What is truth?”
As you can see, our modern, skeptical world did not invent the questioning of foundational truth. Continue reading “What is Truth? – PART 2”
What is Truth? – PART 1
Few questions make me scratch my head as much as the ever-popular “What is truth?” I don’t itch so I’m not scratching for comfort, nor am I befuddled by the answer. The reason I reach for my cranium is that I feel I can see right through that question. Hiding behind the questioning is the urge to get rid of one type of truth and usher in a whole new ball game. A person who asks us to tell them “what truth is,” has already established that they believe in truth. They believe in basic logic or else why ask a question? Clearly the questioner still believes in the truth-content of language, or else they would not speak or they would speak incoherently. They also believe in the law of non-contradiction or else they would not be expecting a reasoned answer. Underneath the question is a boat load of established truths that even the Questioner dares not question.
So why ask the question? Continue reading “What is Truth? – PART 1”
