Page - 151 - in Reflective Cosmopolitanism - Educating towards inclusive communities through Philosophical Enquiry

www.wHATIsyOURNAME.yOU (MANUAL) 151 www.wHATIsyOURNAME.yOU (MANUAL) Episode 1 Leading Idea 1: Truth There are various methods of investigation that we use in the pursuit of truth, even in everyday life. As rational beings, in trying to discover the world around us, we gain our knowledge through hypothesis, deductions, inductions and verification of facts etc. We can arrive at conclusions that we retain as true or false not only because they affirm or refute our beliefs, but also because they align, or do not align, with the beliefs of our community. We can define truth in various ways. For example, it could be what we experience through our senses, what is shown in evidence, or what is shown as the result of a de- ductive investigation. Sometimes, truth must be sought and then discovered. However, at times, as is the case in Rosaria’s story, what we discover through research and therefore believe to be true, in reality might not be. Therefore, it is important not to forget that there are many factors that can lead to an error in our investigation of truth. For example, our senses and mental processes might be deceptive, we might not have considered enough factors, or we could be influenced by prior beliefs that we cannot abandon or question. What may help in these cases is conferring with other people and comparing our inves- tigation methods to other ones, especially when we are trying to reach a common truth. Therefore, it would be good to be open to doubt regarding our knowledge, for there is always the possibility that a truth, even if shared, might not be the final truth – there could be another one that we would never know without using further inquiry. This requires a mind-set that is open to doubt and to the possibility of the existence of innumerable useful paths in the cognitive process in the search for a truth. You can find further resources to explore the concept “truth” in the manual for In and out of the park, episode 6, leading idea 1 “Lying”. Discussion Plan: Truth 1. Does knowing mean discovering the truth? 2. Are some truths truer than others? 3. Are there various degrees of truth? 4. Do I have my own version of truth? If so, is my truth the same as another person’s truth? 5. Does there exist a universal truth that is true for everybody? 6. Does there exist a truth that is not true for everybody? 7. Can I use any means to reach the truth? 8. Is it easy to know what is true? If not, why? 9. What determines whether something is true?