Absolute truth can be interpreted in different ways based on its usage, just
like truth. Some believe that the correct communication cannot be found for
describing ideas of absolute truth by entities that possess the metaphysically
true state of the ability to lie and have lied before, thus making the following
description vulnerable to potential inaccuracy as long as those entities
maintain the definition.
Absolute truth is often defined in two ways: state-truth and action-verity form.
As a state (truth)
Absolutism contends that in a particular domain of thought, all statements
in that domain are either absolutely true or absolutely false: none is true for
some cultures or eras while false for other cultures or eras. These statements
are called absolute truths. A common reaction by those who newly criticize
absolutism is the absolute truth statement: Absolute truths do not exist.
As an action (verity)
In action form, absolute truth most closely represents verity . This
form can be likened to the action usage of metaphysical truth , but not its
state usage (which represent metaphysical truths in state form). Absolute
truth in action form is considered by many to be metaphysical only, and
therefore the same as the action usage of metaphysical truth. Some believe
the outcome of absolute truth (verity) can be metaphysical truths, physical
truths or both, but by definition not any form of a lie. test
Examples
A particularly confusing absolute truth in state form (but good for example) is:
- Absolute truth cannot be a lie.
Some interpret this to mean:
- The outcome of absolute truth cannot be a lie.
But that refers specifically to the action form of absolute truth. Others
interpret it as:
- Absolute truth statements cannot be lies.
But that refers specifically to the state form of absolute truth. The original
statement can be interpreted as either the state or action form. In the state
form the statement is not true, but in the action form it is true. Either way
the statement is an absolute truth in state form.
A potential example of absolute truth in action form is:
- The words you are reading exist because of absolute truths in action form supporting their ability to exist.
Attentive readers will recognize the previous statement as an absolute truth
in state form describing absolute truth in action form. Whether or not the
statement is true is left as an exercise for the reader.