Determining the Differing Definitions of Truth

The Oxford English Dictionary contains two definitions to the word “truth.” The first definition of the truth is written as being, “That which is true or in accordance with fact or reality,” and the second being, “A fact or belief that is accepted as true.” Many would simply glance at these definitions and tell themselves these practically mean the same thing; but in reality, they differ drastically.

According to the first definition, something that is true is “in accordance with fact or reality.” Essentially this would limit the truth down to anything that is a part of a reality. But is this a person’s personal reality or the shared reality of humanity as a whole? If it were the personal realities of every individual, it would be practically impossible to distinguish what the truth is due to the fact that my reality is vastly different from your reality. However, if it were what humanity shared as a reality, then only a complete consensus would be able to be called the truth; yet everyone knows humans can’t agree on one thing, so this definition would be impossible to achieve.

Which brings us to the second definition of the word.

If a fact or belief is “accepted as true” then it by definition makes it the truth. Yet a statement one may find to be true another may find to be false. There are various “truths” that humans can’t agree on: religion, the shape of the Earth, the legitimacy of the moon landing; all topics of major disputes in which both sides wholeheartedly believe they are true. What is the real truth in that case? If one believes something to be true does that make everyone else’s beliefs less true? Is a truth really valid if another person doubts it?

The answer to this question to put it simply: yes.

In reality the truth is completely ambiguous and relative to each and every person. People can’t all agree to look at life the exact same way and accept those experiences to be the only truth. Only you can define what you will accept to be true and what you accept to be false in your reality.