For the first semester of my stay here in Don Bosco Canlubang, I was asked in one of my philosophy subjects to present a synthesis paper of our course. I just want to share this one. I know this is not that comprehensive or full, however, I hope this can be seen as a means to subjecting ourselves in thinking, and understanding that everyone of us are into these issues that we have to see.
1.) Knowledge and Truth
“Knowledge is the cognitive union between the subject and the object, or it is between the intellect and reality.”
“Truth, on the other hand, is the relation of conformity between the subject and the object.”
People need not to be philosophers, or in our case, students of philosophy, to see what both knowledge and truth have to do with our everyday lives. How so? Ever since we are born, we are already flooded with so many amounts of knowledge and information from different sources, like our families, media and many more. Information and knowledge also comes from a wide variety of classes and divisions. Thus, as we grow (older and wiser), we tend to absorb whatever knowledge has been given available to us.
Culture, education, tradition, communication…these are some sources from where our knowledge comes from. These, however, if subjected to critical reflection (to be discussed later), would be questionable. Are these things that we know, as we know it, true?
Whatever information or knowledge that has been transmitted or given to us by the sources given above are not altogether true. I think that is why there is the need of knowing truth.
How can we know that what we cognitively unified has a relation of conformity?
Sometimes, we tend to fall into “false knowledge” leading us to “false truths”. Still, how do we know that what we know is either true or false?
In my own experience, I know that what I know is based on what the world offered me to know. I cannot deny the fact that all of the knowledge that I gained, from the time I first started to learn, is based on the sources available. Besides, how can anyone know anything if it is not available for knowing? (such in the case of divine knowledge?)”
Indeed, knowledge is really just around. Especially in this age of technology and where information is just in one touch of a button, there is really need to question both the validity of knowledge and its conformity to truth.
Man, in his nature, is in constant search of knowledge. However, he searches not only knowledge. In this time and situation, man is also in search for truth. Actually, being a philosopher or a student of philosophy is not a prerequisite for one in search of truth.
2.) Critical Reflection
In the first chapter of our study in Critics, I learned that knowledge is validated using the mind. And knowledge is in the mind. So, knowledge in the mind is validated using the mind itself.
However, there is a real known danger to it. It is the fear and danger of being biased. Our mind, in its continuing process of accepting, processing and giving away information (or knowledge) tends to adhere to a specific “foundation” or principle, where from it, it derives whatever it accepts and believes in. it is also from this foundation wherein one decides that a particular knowledge is to be accepted, or rejected.
It sounds quite absurd, however, it is explained that there is no other way to validate the mind instead with the use of the mind itself. How so? It is with the use of critical reflection, of which philosophers, or students of philosophy, love to do. Why? It is because they seek wisdom and truth.
Critical reflection, as I understood it, is the process wherein one subjects knowledge in the mind into an unbiased process wherein the result would be the unbiased critique of whatever knowledge we have, and it answers whether our knowledge conforms to our criterion of truth.
If asked, “What would be its use in our everyday life?”, the answer is simple, and needs not to be complicated. Critical reflection can be used to know if what we know conforms to truth.
As I said earlier, we live in the times wherein information and knowledge; as well as “truth”, is made available in one touch of a button. It is not that I despise or ignore easy-sought and easy-found information. It is just but unreliable to gather these kinds of information these days, wherein knowledge is mixed with personal views and biased; furthermore endangering the very nature of knowledge. The internet, for example, is a mixture of both knowledge and information. Sometimes, people tend to believe whatever is written or stated in the Internet. But sometimes, people ask whether the given information is a source of knowledge, or just a bunch of garbage.
If critical reflection is to be made as the criterion or means to arrive to real knowledge and real truth, it would really help people, and even I myself to understand and accept whatever falls as true.
Just as one of the questions posted in every Lion’s Club monument is asking: Is it the truth?, I would base it on my critical reflection from now on.
3.) Certitude
Certitude is the state of the mind wherein one judges without the fear of committing error, or that state of the mind where the subject is really sure that his answer or knowledge is 7really true.
One of the kinds of certitude would be that of the spontaneous certitude, wherein one is certain over things that needed not to be explained or proved. Just like life. No one can deny that he lives (for those who are living, that is).
Knowledge and Truth are determined by Critical Reflection that is expressed in Certitude.
How can man be certain over things that he knows and believes? Sometimes man tends to believe everything that is given to him. Some men believe blindly over things that they think they know as true. Some believe like this to the extent that whatever comes as contradictory to what he is certain of…negates the possibility of the contradiction.
Some people are certain over things that are needed not to be explained, while others rely on the fact that to arrive at certitude, one has to subject it to proof-finding. If one cannot be proved, it is not true. And furthermore, it cannot be ascertained.
Certitude is needed in our everyday lives for the fact that we sometimes fall in doubt over our decisions and answers.
I just remembered another thing that can be used as an example for this topic. The game shows we see on TV, like “Game Ka Na Ba?”, “Deal or No Deal”, “Laban o Bawi” and the like are testing people, or their contestants whether: first, if they know the answer, and second, if they are sure or certain of their answers. Sometimes, its just sheer luck or by instinct (or just because they are running out of time to pick an answer) that they get it right. Sheer luck it may be, most often that the winners are sure and certain that their answers are based according to what they know.
However, back in the real world, certainty, or even simple assurance or state of being sure is needed. Being certain that what a person does is right, or what the person is avoiding as wrong.
Looking at one point, I can say that this life that we are living right now is like a game show (which came first, the show or life? Do I need to answer that?) Or rather, game shows are like our lives, we need to be certain, to judge without fear or error, in order to continue in this cycle of life.
4.) Prejudice/ Idols
Racist and those people who are biased in one way or another are clear examples of those who exercise prejudice. In our local setting, we have our own biases, such as attitudes of people from different places.
Furthermore, we tend to impose in ourselves ideas about these things prior to judgment. Thus, we end up “boxing” whatever we think. That wouldn’t be right.
I think that all of us are biased, in one way or another. Sometimes, it is hard to draw a line between prejudice and certitude. Why? It is because I think that in some way, when a person is certain or judges on one side over the other, he becomes biased. Also, simply placed, when one sides on one portion, he tends to leave the other. He becomes biased.
How can I see the difference between being prejudiced and being certain? Knowledge and Truth are determined by Critical Reflection that is expressed in Certitude. However, Certitude is often clouded by Prejudice, though it has been subjected to Critical Reflection. Our decisions or whatever we know can still be affected by the “idols” that is present in this world even if we subject it to our critical thinking.
This may be caused through the process of critical reflection, wherein I have to inherit a certain set of rules to guide my process of critical reflection. In doing so, I am already in a state of bias. Is there in any way that I can lose myself from bias? If there is, it may be if I leave judgment behind. If knowledge and truth is to be aborted, there is a chance that I can rid myself of bias, since I would no longer need critical reflection to be certain on things.
However, this posts a problem on the side of philosophy. If one is to reject knowledge, what becomes of man’s desire to know? What would happen to man’s dreams of achieving wisdom?
If knowledge and truth is to be rejected, and critical reflection be set aside, because of fear of becoming biased, man’s search for wisdom and truth ends. And in doing so, I think that man cannot fulfill his nature and capacity. What is rationality in man if man would not use it?
Therefore, I believe that it cannot be helped that man, philosophers or not, cannot escape from prejudice/ idols/ or even our plain biases in our search for truth and knowledge. It is a fact that when one judges, he judges or chooses one over the other. What is to choose if there is nothing to choose, anyway?
However, when one chooses, I hope that he chooses because he is already in the light of knowledge, truth, and certitude, with the use of critical reflection. Not with prejudice alone.
5.) Knowledge and Relativity
From the discussion on the topic at the first part, I would like to repeat the definition of Knowledge. Knowledge is the intellectual or cognitive union between the subject and the object, or between the subject and reality.
Relativity, or relativism, is a form of relativism, wherein one is against the absolute value or nature of truth, inasmuch as it denies the absolute value of knowledge.
We know that knowledge has a transcendental value, which also implies that knowledge has an absolute value. All men, according to the notes, are spontaneously certain that true knowledge or truth id independent from the empirical conditions of man. It further adds that what is true is true for all times, all places, and all men. And so on…
The empirical conditions of man such as tastes, laws, habits, and even customs change. However, it is said that the absolute nature of truth is not affected by these conditions.
It is not to be mistaken that the absolute value of truth is equivalent to what truth is as we know it. Even I have the difficulty of acknowledging the absolute value of truth.
Knowledge must conform to Truth, and both are subjected to Critical Reflection to arrive at Certitude, that is somehow affected still by Prejudices. Furthermore, due to the empirical conditions of man, the knowledge and truth produced from the earlier processes are affected by Relativity in some way.
I admit to the presence of Relativity in man. However, I deny the possibility of its absoluteness, since no one and there is no way where man can deny the absolute value of truth.
What is the use of Relativity, or how is Relativity present in our daily lives? Man, affected by the empirical conditions of life, have different perspectives on things that are in touch with them. Their cultures, religions, law, habits and others contribute to the different perceptions of man about what is known, what is known as true, what is known as true to be certain etc. However, in the degrees of truth, I believe that only the minor truths are somehow affected by the relativistic ideas based on empirical conditions. The major or absolute truths, however, remains the same.
Though man is enveloped in a society of different views, perspectives and beliefs, the absolute value of truth still remains in everyone. Though men, since many, are different in one way or another, there are still truths that bind them as one…absolute truths. Materially considered, truth has divisions, where relativity affects the minor, but nor the major.
I think the absolute value of truth works in a similar way.
6.) Error
Error is the positive absence or privation of truth.
Error can be seen many times in our lives, in form of mistakes. Mistakes in class, mistakes in exams, mistakes in decisions and many more are just some of those moments when we see error in our lives. How can this be?
In another topic, a philosophical system proposes that everything is just a projection of the mind. Therefore, everything is just according to the ideas and self-projections made by the mind.
If I would take the position of that system, I would think that everything around me is a projection of myself. And therefore, I know all of them.
If that’s the case, why do I make mistakes in exams or in decisions that I make? Why can I not remove any worry or uneasiness that I may fail my exam? Isn’t it absurd?
Error is one unavoidable fact that everyone experiences. May it be at work, in school, at home, or in oneself…error cannot be denied. I do not say that everyone always makes errors. However, everyone has mistakes or commit errors.
Going back to the absurdity of self-projection, it just came to me that one excuse can be that one just wants to make mistake. Would I want that, if that’s possible?
What is now the relevance of error in our everyday life? I would like to quote from the movie Batman Begins. Alfred asked Bruce Wayne, “Why do we fall?” of which the answer is, “So that we could learn to pick ourselves up”.
Error is inevitable. It comes in our lives. But we can use it to learn more. In terms of life, we commit mistakes but learning from them is better than just sitting and crying over it. Error in one way contributes in our desire to know. If we fail, that means that the road we took is not the right road for us to take. Error teaches us, in one way, to redirect ourselves and try to reach knowledge and truth, and further, to certitude.
Indeed, error is the absence of truth. However, it leads us to truth and certainty.
However, it is still within the power of the subject whether he acts according to the lesson learned from mistakes.
7.) Evidence and Motive of Certitude
The Motive of Certitude is “that which compels towards and assent”. For every proposition, there can be a motive compelling towards an assent. The motive into which all motives are resolved is called the ultimate or supreme or universal motive of certitude.
Evidence on the other hand is the “splendor of truth seizing the assent of the mind”. Evidence can also be seen as something needed to further strengthen an assent or certainty of a given proposition or judgment. It can be seen in two ways, either in the light of the object or in the light of the subject.
Knowledge is tried to be seen in the light of Truth, with the use of Critical Reflection to reach Certitude, somehow affected by Prejudice. Certainty has a view of Relativity that sometimes leads man to error. However, Certitude can be strengthened by Evidence. And Certitude is pointless if there is no “motivating force” for assent or reaching Certitude.
What makes man push to reach Certitude? I believe it is still man’s desire to attain knowledge and to achieve truth. Man is not contented with what he sees as knowledge. He tries to see it as true and certain. And this drives him to reach certitude.
Evidence, on the other hand, is the “added weight” for determining whether the knowledge known is true and certain. In analogy, evidence in court moves the judge according to it. If one is tried as guilty of any charge he is accused with, and is found as to be the one who did it because of the evidence at hand, he is charged as guilty. Evidence is like that, I believe and understood. If one is motivated to reach certainty, evidence is like a helping hand to further reach it.
What does it have to do in man’s everyday life? Just as man is in his constant journey towards knowledge and truth, he is unconsciously or consciously guided by his motives to reach it. He tends to find proofs or evidences along the way, and it helps him reach certainty.
Reaching truth is man’s motivation and certainty. Man is helped by evidence in reaching truth about things.
In one angle, I can see that the trial court is like life in general. Seems that since our life always has to deal with information, and decisions sometimes are needed to proceed. We are motivated to solve one case and another, and with help (evidence), we are assured to reach every end of a court case. And when decisions are made, its time to move to another…just like man’s desire to know…
Unending…continuous…fruitful.
“As for me, I wish not to take pride in anything except the cross of Christ”
Gal. 6:14
