The Value of Truth

I think that Lynch, for the sake of his own argument did a pretty good job of steering us towards the right way of thinking about "truth" in his introduction and in this first chapter. These truisms he lists, describe how we should pursue our study of truth (what it is and why it matters). Truth is a value. When you think of it this way it places a greater meaning to what Lynch believes, just as integrity is a value, or caring or love or trustworthiness. A value is something that influences how we live, as Lynch points out in his introduction. Additionally, he claims the purpose of a philosopher is to point out what is already a part of our everyday lives. Truth is one such point which, until viewed in this way, was just a matter of accurate fact. What is correct and what is incorrect rather than what should we believe, what is good for us to believe, and what is untrue. Lynch wants us to see truth on a higher level. I think that many of us were confused when we first read and try to understand Lynches theory... as Meredith pointed out we feel as though we are talking and reading in circles. The idea of these four truisms, all grounded on the idea that truth is a value, helps to define Lynches objective, to prove to us that truth matters.

I would like to further comment on the relationship between truth and accuracy. I was recently looking over a friends JMC 66 text in which they discussed the difference between the two in the context of journalism. Is it better to produce accurate accounts of an event or to attempt to find out the "truth", a concept which was equally praised and equally ill defined in this text as in "TRUE to LIFE". This got me thinking. What is the difference? Are both equally or exclusively important? The idea of objectivity in truth also comes to mind. An idea, such as the earth is flat, is accurate in our own minds as in reality until we have gathered enough information to prove that it is inaccurate. Therefore are we sure we know what we know to be true without taking the opportunity to discover the truth for ourselves? Certainty, as Lynch claims to be impossible, therefore can never be obtained if truth is to be considered objective.

Whitney Michaels