Back to the Future
Truth is but a future fact.
As an example, we accept as truth that the sun will rise tomorrow morning. The rising of the sun tomorrow, however, will become a fact only when it does so.
What makes our assertion of the rising of the sun tomorrow a truth is our observation and reasoning of there being a finite (and in this case a very high) probability of it actually happening.
Those who study astronomy will also accept as truth (although it be a lesser truth) that the sun will NOT rise tomorrow morning. Why? Observation finds the earth ever so slowly falling towards the sun and if our reasoning expressed by mathematics be wrong, there is a finite probability (however small) that tonight might be the night the earth falls into the sun. Secondly, the earth might be struck by some celestial object, throwing us out of our orbit about the sun. Thirdly, the sun, in a fit of thermo-nuclear rage, might explode into a cloud of celestial gas, leaving us with no sun to rise on the morrow.
Now we have two seemingly contrary truths, one that the sun will rise tomorrow and one that it will not. What to do?
As for me, I'll accept both truths but will simply ascribe that the sun will rise tomorrow morning and make plans for my living accordingly. If it doesn't, so be it.
Hope to see you at the Wayne Henderson Music Festival tomorrow ... provided, of course, that the sun does rise!
As an example, we accept as truth that the sun will rise tomorrow morning. The rising of the sun tomorrow, however, will become a fact only when it does so.
What makes our assertion of the rising of the sun tomorrow a truth is our observation and reasoning of there being a finite (and in this case a very high) probability of it actually happening.
Those who study astronomy will also accept as truth (although it be a lesser truth) that the sun will NOT rise tomorrow morning. Why? Observation finds the earth ever so slowly falling towards the sun and if our reasoning expressed by mathematics be wrong, there is a finite probability (however small) that tonight might be the night the earth falls into the sun. Secondly, the earth might be struck by some celestial object, throwing us out of our orbit about the sun. Thirdly, the sun, in a fit of thermo-nuclear rage, might explode into a cloud of celestial gas, leaving us with no sun to rise on the morrow.
Now we have two seemingly contrary truths, one that the sun will rise tomorrow and one that it will not. What to do?
As for me, I'll accept both truths but will simply ascribe that the sun will rise tomorrow morning and make plans for my living accordingly. If it doesn't, so be it.
Hope to see you at the Wayne Henderson Music Festival tomorrow ... provided, of course, that the sun does rise!
Comments
Post a Comment