EVERYONE’S UNIQUE PRIVATE TRUTH AND REALITY

 

The claim: “Everyone has a unique private truth, and a unique private reality”, can either be true or false, although it is hard to tell. The definition of truth is: the quality or being true; as: conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been; or shall be (www.dictionary.com). The definition of reality is: the state or quality of being real; actual being or existence of anything, in distinction from mere appearance; fact (www.dictionary.reference.com). [SAL1] Both truth and reality can be held privately in peoples’ minds; however, what is controversial is the uncertainty of whether or not these truths and realities are unique within each person.[SAL2] 

The claim can be true because everyone has their [SAL3] own minds and believes what is true and what is reality for them, based upon their own personal beliefs. The fact that they are personal confirms that their beliefs are private. In “Basics of Reasoning” by Conway and Munson, it states[SAL4] : “At a given time, each of us holds a complex set of beliefs we take to be rational. Any new candidate for belief that comes from argument or observation, or is the claim of another, must be considered against this background of previous beliefs. Even a supposedly self-evident claim coming to our attention must be considered against this background.” Our backgrounds are composed by[SAL5]  many different sources: past experiences, accumulated knowledge, or personal opinions. Suppose for example, that one person believes in miracles, and another person does not. They each have their own private set of truths and beliefs instilled within their minds[SAL6] , which came from their past experiences and knowledge. Say for instance, that the person who believes in miracles has always had strange coincidences occur to them[SAL7] , and that they also believe God is responsible for all that happens in their life. On the other hand, the person that does not believe in miracles has always had a scientific point of view, and does not believe in God. They [SAL8] believe that God is not real and that science explains everything; there is always a natural cause and effect—no miracles. For them, peculiar occurrences always have a logical explanation. Because these people have their own personal experiences, their truths and beliefs are entirely subjective. Since anything being “subjective” means that it is private stuff: beliefs, feelings, opinions, or emotions, then everyone really does have a private truth and a private reality. They[SAL9]  are also unique because their [SAL10] opinions and thoughts are different.

The claim can also be false. A word that throws us off from being certain whether or not the claim is completely true or completely false is the word, “unique”. [SAL11] Therefore, there is a way the claim can be false. Sure, everyone’s personal experiences may lead them to have their own private thoughts, feelings, and opinions, thus, their own private truth and reality; however, the word “unique” can be ambiguous in the sense that everyone can either have their own difference in opinions, or an original truth or reality. [SAL12] But, the truth is, that not everyone can have a truly unique and original truth or reality. The definition of unique is: being the only one of its kind, without an equal or equivalent; unparalleled. So, something is either unique or not unique, and it is also incorrect to say that something is very unique or more unique than something else. It [SAL13] would not constitute the true definition of the word “unique”. The truth of everything came from somewhere at one point in time, and so did the fact of knowing whether something is real or not. For instance, all the people going to the same church, hearing the same thing being preached, would therefore, believe in the same thing. Each of them will then hold a set of private truths, beliefs, values, and morals, all of which are not “unique” for them. Their beliefs are not the only of its[SAL14]  kind, or original; it[SAL15]  had come from somewhere. Although private within each person, the same beliefs are being shared. That means that the same beliefs are equivalent among the minds of all the people who believe in it[SAL16] , which makes it inconsistent with the true meaning of “unique”. Say for instance, that a student knows that evolution is in fact real and truthful. The idea had originally come from Charles Darwin, so that student who also believes in evolution does not have a unique truth or reality based on evolution. Their [SAL17] reality and belief in evolution is the same as others who also believe in it. Therefore, those beliefs are not one of a kind, and they are not unique. Hence, everyone cannot have a unique private truth and a unique private reality, because they are not unique. It is hard to decide whether the claim is actually true or in fact, false. It all depends on how it is interpreted, and in this case, the claim can be interpreted in many ways.[SAL18] 

 


 [SAL1] Do not use ordinary dictionaries for philosophical terms – use a philosophical dictionary!

 [SAL2] 10, 32 Huh?  The uncertainty is controversial?  I thought the controversy was about whether objective truth and reality exist.

 [SAL3] 3 “everyone” is singular – “their” is plural

 [SAL4] 10

 [SAL5] 24 of

 [SAL6] 10

 [SAL7] 3 “the person” is singular

 [SAL8] 3 “the person” is singular

 [SAL9] 9

 [SAL10] 9

 [SAL11] 10

 [SAL12] 36 I don’t understand

 [SAL13] 9 what does “it” refer to here?

 [SAL14] 3

 [SAL15] “beliefs” is plural

 [SAL16] 9, 3 “beliefs” is plural

 [SAL17] 3 “that student” is singular

 [SAL18] It does not appear from this that you have done any of the assigned reading for Part 1.

 

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