TRUTH IN ART

Or what your Art is Really About

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS TRUTH?

Truth simply put is “Telling it like it is.”

Or it can be defined as “that which corresponds to

its object.”

Or “That which describes an actual state of

affairs.”

THE TRUTH ABOUT TRUTH

Truth is discovered, not invented. It exists

independent of anyone’s knowledge of it.

Truth is transcultural; if something is true, it is

true for all people, in all places, at all times. (2+2=4

for everyone, everywhere, at every time.)

Truth is unchanging even though our beliefs about

truth change.

THE TRUTH ABOUT TRUTH

Beliefs cannot change a fact, no matter how sincerely they

are held.

Truth is not affected by the attitude of the one professing it.

All truths are absolute truths.

Even truths that appeared to be relative are really absolute.

“I, Wayne Johnson feel warm on March 18th, 2013” it may

seem relative but it is actually absolutely true for everyone,

everywhere that I am warm on that day.

RELATIVE TRUTH

The common stance is; “Its true for you but not for

me.”

“Everything is relative,” is a truth claim.

All truth excludes the opposite.

All truth claims are absolute, narrow, and

exclusive.

If something is true it is true for all people, at all

times in all places.

BELIEF VS. TRUTH

A persons beliefs may be true or false.

You can hold contrary beliefs.

Contrary truths are not possible.

HOW TO KNOW

How to identify Self-Defeating Statements. • “There is no such thing as truth!”• Is that a true statement? • “All truth is relative.”• Except the truth that all truth is relative.• “I can’t speak a word of English.”• As I say it in English. • “There are no absolutes!”• Except the statement that there are no absolutes.

QUESTION?

If there is no truth, then why try to learn anything?

ANSWER

Ideas have consequences. • Good ideas have good consequences.• Bad ideas have bad consequences.• False ideas about truth lead to false ideas about life.

C.S. Lewis revealed the absurdity of expecting virtue from people who are taught that no virtue exists: ‘In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the gelding be fruitful.”

CAN WE KNOW TRUTH?

I can’t know anything for sure. • How do you know you can’t know anything for sure?• Isn’t that a self defeating statement? • Is it possible to know “something”?

SKEPTICISM

I’m skeptic about everything.• Are you skeptic about your skepticism?• Isn’t that a self defeating statement? • Saying you are skeptic about everything or you can’t

know anything are self defeating points of view. • They make the truth claim that truth cannot be

known. • You can’t have it both ways.

TRUTH CAN BE KNOWN

Truth can be known.

All truth is absolute.

Beliefs or passion does not make something true.

Contrary truths are not possible. There cannot be a

square circle. A=A and Cannot = Non A

IDEAS HAVE CONSEQUENCES

Your Art expresses IDEAS.

Good ideas have good consequences.

Bad ideas have bad consequences.

As artists we have a responsibility to our audience

and society.

False ideas about truth lead to false ideas about life.