TRUTH’S PERSPECTIVES

    Ordinarily, we refer to the property of truth as being in accord with the facts or reality as we experience things, Truth is usually held to be the opposite of falsehood.  Most of what we believe is based upon the everyday news we are exposed to in the newspaper, television, or social media available. It is quite a challenge for anyone.

   Our society has always been open to various points of view and it is a challenge for anyone to accept what is the truth.  Sometimes, what we see, hear, or read appears to be the truth.  But think for a moment.  It’s truth if it fits your belief system.  How careful are we to sift out what is true?  Please keep in mind that the power of social media can be astounding, amazing and even distorted in providing information.  How willing are we to understand the perspectives that influence our individual or group decisions and consequently our actions that allow us to know what is truth?

   The Human Dynamics Institute provides an inquiry process to help us create opportunities to move out of dilemmas and find new ways to seek an understanding of the perspective of truth. There are four model perspectives of truth that can allow us the best fit to identify what is truth to each one of us.

We can see truth as:

1.  Objective--What exists and can be proved.  The sun moves each day.

2.  Normative--What we as a group agree is true. The word day that time when the sky is lit.               

3.  Subjective--How we see the world. Today is a good day for me.

4.  Complex--How we focus on the truth most useful to us at one time.

   Instead of drawing a conclusion of one perception, take time to identify clues of how other people are thinking.  Share your observations of the situation to help others make sense of what’s happening.

   It takes an open mind to avoid being blindsided dealing with such thinking that blunts the encouragement of open discourse. 

“There are three sides to every thought. 

 Yours, the other person's, and the truth.”