Existencial Theory of Truth
... article on “Meditations” helped me in my quest for truth because it illustrates the questions about reality and truth that, before I read it, I had not considered items that needed to be considered, that they were in fact truths. This theory of knowledge class introduced me to the term “existentialism”, a concept which reinforced what I already believed: the only truth is that I exist, all else depends upon my frame of reference. Existentialism is a theory that is related to subjective truth. Since subjective truth is based on the knower (or that person’s frame of reference) it is safe to then say that I am an existentialist. This class has taught me that even if I state that I am an existentialist, I still have a duty and right to then go out into the world and test theories for truth and to express my findings to those around me in order to show my support of these new truths. In expressing my views and truths, it helps me properly articulate to myself what I believe. (Existentialism strictly does not have this last step, however I feel it necessary so that I can inspected what I have believe in one last time to make sure it is “true”.) For that reason, this theory of truth pertains to me most because it lets me accept that I exist while at the same time experiment and come to make new truths about life based on my own experiences. To be a true existentialist, I should also believe that everything I do and say is determined by my own free-will; however, I firmly do not. I believe that there is a pre-determined path that exists for me that gives me little choice in the outcome of my life. Existentialism allows the knower to choose which truth is right for them, however this assumes that there is a choice in the first place, and not that they have a pre-determined path to believe that they do have free-will, when in fact their fate is controlling them. I think this because if I only had free-will and no concept of destiny, then how could I explain something like “basic instincts”. For example when I was a baby I knew right from birth how to suck. That proves that at birth I as a human baby was already “pre-programmed” (by destiny or genetic make-up/science) to be able to suckle. The challenge with my belief of destiny is that the only absolute truth that I believe is that I exist, so even though I believe that I have a pre-determined path, I do not believe in the thing/person that created it in the first place. I like to trust that I have a destiny to fulfill for two basic reasons. One because it shows that since I exist, and that I have a purpose to exist, and two, because it helps me to not feel to guilty about events when they go wrong. (Basically, I like having the idea that I am able to say that it was not anyone’s fault, that it was in fact pre-ordained to happen a certain way.) This theory of truth appeals to me because it in turn makes me question what I believe as destiny, and ask why I believe that. It lets me exist and question fate vs. free will all at the same time. Rene Descartes wrote some short articles on some meditations he had. He discusses several cases that prove his point that it is impossible to trust our senses/perceptions. He also describes that when philosophizing nothing does exist so why bother philosophize? Since he inevitably reached a dead end with his questioning, he decided that for him to actually discover any truth for himself, he would have to set up a premise. His...