In our current intellectual culture of epistemological relativism, the question of the existence of truth, if it is knowable and absolute, is of extreme importance. This is a visual presentation from our Itunes podcast "Reason To Believe", an episode entitled "TRUTH: Is It Even Knowable?" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APwu8c9JLXQ) If this information appeals to you, I encourage you to check out our website www.intelligentfaith315.com and our YouTube channel by the same name.

2. TRUTH:TRUTH:
Is It Knowable?Is It Knowable?

3. The Outline:The Outline:
I. What is Truth?I. What is Truth?
II. Can Truth be Known?II. Can Truth be Known?

4. I. What isI. What is TruthTruth??

5. ““And you shall know theAnd you shall know the
TruthTruth, and the, and the TruthTruth shallshall
set you free.”set you free.”
- John 8:32- John 8:32

6. ““ I am the Way, theI am the Way, the TruthTruth,,
and the Life.”and the Life.”
- John 14:6- John 14:6

7. Truth is what:Truth is what:
-Tells it like it is-Tells it like it is
-Corresponds to the facts-Corresponds to the facts
-Matches its object-Matches its object

8. A true statement matches itsA true statement matches its
object:object:
““This object is a table.”This object is a table.”

9. What is False?What is False?
False is what does not:False is what does not:
-Tell it like it is-Tell it like it is
-Correspond to the facts-Correspond to the facts
-Match its object-Match its object

10. How Do We Know?How Do We Know?
Because it is Self-defeating to Deny ItBecause it is Self-defeating to Deny It
““I can’t speak a word in English.”I can’t speak a word in English.”
Isn’t that in English?”Isn’t that in English?”

11. Truth is Telling it like it is:Truth is Telling it like it is:
““Truth is not telling like it is!”Truth is not telling like it is!”
““Isn’tIsn’t thatthat telling it like ittelling it like it
is?”is?”

12. Opponents of Truth:Opponents of Truth:
• RelativismRelativism—denies—denies absoluteabsolute truthtruth
• AgnosticismAgnosticism—denies—denies allall truthtruth
• SkepticismSkepticism——doubtsdoubts all truthall truth
• Post-ModernismPost-Modernism—affirms—affirms nono truthtruth
• PluralismPluralism—affirms—affirms oppositeopposite`truths’`truths’

13. AgnosticismAgnosticism: “Truth about: “Truth about
reality isreality is Unknowable.”Unknowable.”
-He affirmed-He affirmed we kan’t knowwe kan’t know
truth about reality.truth about reality.
-We can only know-We can only know appearance,appearance,
not reality.not reality.
-We can’t know the thing in-We can’t know the thing in
itself, onlyitself, only the thing to usthe thing to us..
-We-We must remain agnosticmust remain agnostic
about reality.about reality.
Emmanuel KantEmmanuel Kant

14. A Response to Agnosticism:A Response to Agnosticism:
Agnosticism Fails becauseAgnosticism Fails because::
It isIt is self-defeatingself-defeating (by claiming to(by claiming to
know the truth about reality that weknow the truth about reality that we
cannot know any truth about reality).cannot know any truth about reality).

15. SkepticismSkepticism: “Doubt: “Doubt allall Truth”Truth”
-We should-We should doubtdoubt
everythingeverything about reality.about reality.
-We can only know-We can only know sensesense
data.data.
-We should-We should suspendsuspend
judgmentjudgment on all truthon all truth
claims about reality.claims about reality.
David HumeDavid Hume

16. A Response to Skepticism:A Response to Skepticism:
Skepticism Fails Because:Skepticism Fails Because:
- Either it is- Either it is self-defeatingself-defeating (by claiming we(by claiming we
should doubt everything includingshould doubt everything including
skepticism).skepticism).
- Or, it- Or, it begs the questionbegs the question by claimingby claiming
skepticism is the only view that shouldskepticism is the only view that should
not be doubted.not be doubted.

17. Post-ModernismPost-Modernism: “Make: “Make nono
Truth Claims”Truth Claims”
-We must-We must deconstruct alldeconstruct all
truth claims.truth claims.
-We can reconstruct as-We can reconstruct as
manymany viewsviews asas possible.possible.
-No reconstruction is-No reconstruction is
objectively trueobjectively true; it is merely; it is merely
new.new.
Jacque DerridaJacque Derrida

18. A Response to Post-Modernism:A Response to Post-Modernism:
Post-Modernism Fails Because:Post-Modernism Fails Because:
-- Either it claims to be true (and is therebyEither it claims to be true (and is thereby
self-defeatingself-defeating).).
- Or else it makes- Or else it makes no truth claimno truth claim (and is(and is
not even in the “ball game” of truth.not even in the “ball game” of truth.
(Ignoring the truth doesn't extinguish it!)(Ignoring the truth doesn't extinguish it!)

19. RelativismRelativism:: ““All Truth isAll Truth is RelativeRelative.”.”
Alfred North WhiteheadAlfred North Whitehead
- Reality has- Reality has nono
unchanging formsunchanging forms..
- All truth is in process- All truth is in process
and isand is never finalnever final..
- All- All truth is relativetruth is relative
and changing.and changing.

20. A Response to Relativism:A Response to Relativism:
Relativism fails to deny absolutism because:Relativism fails to deny absolutism because:
- It either affirms that relativism is absolutely true- It either affirms that relativism is absolutely true
(which is(which is self-defeatingself-defeating).).
- Or else its claim that is just another relative- Or else its claim that is just another relative
statement (and hence isstatement (and hence is unsuccessfulunsuccessful).).

21. Can We Know the Truth?Can We Know the Truth?
““No one knows the truth!”No one knows the truth!”
““Then how do you knowThen how do you know
thatthat is true?”is true?”

22. Is Truth Absolute?Is Truth Absolute?
““There is no absolute truth!”There is no absolute truth!”
““IsIs thatthat absolutelyabsolutely
true?”true?”

23. Is Truth Absolute?Is Truth Absolute?
““IsIs thatthat just true for youjust true for you
but not for me?”but not for me?”
““It’s true for you but not for me!”It’s true for you but not for me!”

24. We All Demand Absolute Truth in:We All Demand Absolute Truth in:
•- Safety- Safety
•- Money- Money
•- Medicine- Medicine
•- Relationships- Relationships
•- Court Proceedings- Court Proceedings
SoSo everyoneeveryone
really believes inreally believes in
absolute truthabsolute truth