“Facts, Truth & Honesty” by Sydney Williams
http://www.swtotd.blogspot.com
“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” Thomas Jefferson January 12, 1819
In the above letter to Nathaniel Macon, Senator from North Carolina, a proponent of slavery and a political foe, Jefferson explained wisdom that comes with age – that it can only be based on a foundation of honesty. If we are not honest with ourselves and others, what good are facts and truth?
A friend suggested an essay on facts and truth – a challenging but interesting assignment. The result is my opinion, expressed as truthfully as I was able, but it is not a factual last word. The two words are commonly used synonymously, but they are different. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines fact as “something that has actual existence…an occurrence…[or] having objective reality.” Truth is the opposite of a lie. It is defined by the same source as “the body of real things, events and facts.” But the roots of the two words provide clarity as to their differences. “Fact” comes from the Latin facio, to fashion or fabricate something, while truth comes from the old English word treoth, meaning fidelity or faith, as in “I pledge thee my troth,” an archaic wedding commitment, meaning a lifelong pledge of faithfulness.
Larry Walsh, founder of the technology business strategy company 2112 Group recently wrote an essay on how the technology industry must “freely share new facts” and stop “clinging to accepted truths.” He described the two words: “A fact is something that’s indisputable, based on empirical research and quantifiable measures. Truth is entirely different; it may include fact, but it can also include belief.” In my opinion, his definition of fact is too simplistic. There are facts that are unalterable, like grass is green, water is wet, and skunks are odoriferous. Other facts are subject to change, as products, mechanizations, services and research evolve and improve. A fact is a fact until it isn’t. What better examples than the use of “facts” to determine the origin of COVID-19, the cause of the Trump Russian probe, or what was behind the January 6 protests. Mr. Walsh’s definition of truth implies a deficiency in faith and historical knowledge and a supercilious attitude toward the beliefs of others.
In geometry, it is axiomatic (taken as a truth without need for verification) that a line can extend to infinity. Facts cannot explain it. It is a universally accepted truth. Jane Austen opens Pride and Prejudice with the line: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” We know that not all young, wealthy, single men are looking for a wife, but many accept what she wrote as a truth. Individually, we are true to somebody or some belief, or we are not. Truth is personal and can take varied shapes. Truths, based on faith, are absolute and eternal, at least in the minds of individuals who possess them. The Wokeism that emerged from George Floyd’s tragic death speaks to the “truth” of systemic racism, white supremacy, and black victimization. And, just as the Woke maintain the truth of their beliefs, those who celebrate a higher power believe in prayer to God to help understand that which is inexplicable. Both Wokeism and Judeo-Christian beliefs represent ideological “truths” to their followers, but one practices racial discrimination and hate, while the other preaches unity and love. All truths are not equal.
When Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence, he wrote: “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among them are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Jefferson did not use the word “Facts.” His self-evident “Truths” are based on “natural’ rights, which means they stem from a higher power, something not provable by science, but accepted as truth. In our more secular age, some prefer facts based on science to truths embedded in belief.
However, he who bases conclusions solely on facts should be viewed skeptically, for facts can be (and are) used selectively. Interpretation of facts presented in Court will vary, depending on whether presented by the prosecution or defense. Scientific facts are subject to change as research advances. The “fact” of global warming became the “fact” of climate change when weather failed to cooperate with the narrative. As well, facts can be contradictory. The southern border is an example where photographs can be used to support whatever conclusion one might prefer. A photo of an empty cage does not necessarily mean the adjoining one is not over-crowded, and vice versa. Politicians, without always lying, are skillful in the selective use of facts. Cities and states were shut down during the pandemic, with mayors and governors claiming justification in the “science.” “Follow the science” (the facts) became their mantra, as they shutdown “non-essential” businesses, putting millions of people out of work. But the science kept changing as more was learned about COVID-19, and many politicians were slow to relinquish power when facts showed the disease abating. In re-opening, can we assume all facts about the disease and its origins are known? And what about gender wars. Should a transwoman, factually a biological male, be considered truthfully a female when it comes to sports and bathrooms?
Facts and truth are not mutually exclusive. In fact (to borrow a phrase), both are essential to a well-ordered society and life. But a scientist is honest when he admits what he does not know, along with relating the facts he has determined. A theory yesterday may become a fact today and discarded as not factual tomorrow. Truths change as beliefs change, and respect for the beliefs of others should be part of our fabric. Facts may be disputable, depending on what input is used. Consider the 1619 project versus the 1776 project. Honest, educators should be clear: Slaves were imported to the British Colony of Virginia in 1619, but the concept of the United States was created in 1776. And they should tell their students that the use of slave labor is as old as mankind – a fact, and that the concept of a government of, by and for the people was something new in 1776 – also a fact. A study of governments would show the fact that a combination of democracy and capitalism has done more to lift people from poverty and advance economic growth than any other form of government, including socialism. Educators should encourage debates over truths and present facts without bias, while recognizing that many are subject to change. But values immersed in our Judeo-Christian heritage should, like the North Star, always be there to guide us.
We will never agree on all facts, and definitions of truth vary depending on individuals’ beliefs. But there are facts that are facts without question and there are truths, such as the ones used by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, on which all Americans should agree. Honesty and respect are missing in today’s political dialogue – half-truths and partial facts fill the void left by an absence of self-restraint. After my father died in 1968, my mother wrote to her nine children of the basic values she and my father had hoped to instill in their offspring: “…namely truth and honesty – true to your beliefs and honest with yourselves.” It is advice that should be welcomed by those we entrust to govern this land. As Jefferson wrote in the rubric that heads this essay, it is honesty, about what we know and what we don’t know, that leads to wisdom, and that it is respect for the opinions of others that allows wisdom to influence society.
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