What is the truth?
An experiment
Four people are gathered round a table. In the middle of the table stands a porcelain cup.
They get the request to answer the next question: where is the ear?
-
The first states that the ear is at the right of the cup.
-
The second states that it has no ear at all but a nose.
The ear is directed towards him and appears to sit in the middle. -
The third says that the ear is at the left of the cup.
-
The fourth alleges that the cup seems to have no ear.
Simply he can not look through the cup.
All four they speak the truth: they represent what they observe.
Nevertheless they claim all four something else.
Easily one would be able to determine his neighbour as a liar but
that does not appear justified.
The conclusion of this simple experiment should be therefore
that the truth does not exist. There are four truths in this case.
Each person has its own truth. Truth is relative. Truth is subjective.
When the mentioned example would raise in a trial the judge should take views 'from all sides' and
include all ins and outs of the case. This example is clear.
Many situations are much less clear either due to lack of factual knowledge either by lack of
understanding. The case can be very complex.
Be careful to call someone a liar. It is better to say:
"That is not my experience" or something like that.
Summary
If someone is telling the truth, he gives back what he observed.
Truth is relative and subjective. Absolute truth does not exist.