Is Truth Relative?

Note: Café Philo is a way of meeting interesting, inquiring people who enjoy talking about life's big issues and conundrums in a convivial atmosphere, rather than a heavy-duty philosophy seminar. Read more about our approach here.

As famously stated in the film “A few good men”: “You can’t handle the truth!” In the film Col. Jessop was referring to the actual order of events which had been covered up by the military.

• This implies that there is a true account of events. Do you believe this is so?
• Is there an account of events that is true? For every observer?
• Does the perspective of the observer alter the truth?
• Can we all have different Truths about events, ideas, science?
• How should we test if a statement/account/explanation is true? Some popular approaches are Occam’s razor, and the scientific method. Are there others?

The context of this conversation will be influenced by whether you believe reality is objective (standing apart from, and external to the observer) or subjective (generated by and dependent on the observer).

• Can there be any universal truth in a subjective universe?
• Does an objective universe imply universal truths, waiting to be discovered?
• Are scientific representations of the objective universe truth?
• Are mathematical concepts, equations and functions universal truths?
• If these are truths in an objective universe do they apply to the subjective?
• Does the belief in a subjective universe allow a person to subvert “laws” of physics? For example could a person decide gravity is untrue, and therefore escape it? If this is possible, why are people still grounded and bounded by gravity?
• Are there shades of truth or is it simple true or false?

Does the truth change with time?

Is truth simply a reflection of the relative power of its holder? ("truth is what I say it is"). In 1984, the government believes they control the truth through their power, can make 2+2=5 and even stop bullets by their power alone. Is this possible?

Why are people embracing cognitive relativism, the idea that truth is subjective and that we can have different truths? Is this more than a mere wish to escape reality?

Please join us for what is likely to be a lively discussion and remember “The truth is out there”

Resources
What is relativism and truth? (YouTube, 2 mins)

The fallacious move from different perspectives to relativism about truth. (YouTube, 11 mins)

Relativism is Self-Refuting (just section 5a – 4 paragraphs)

The clash of civilisations (Guardian article)