To what extent is truth different in mathematics, the arts and ethics?

Pope John Paul II C.S.S.

Name: William Kong
Date: October 30, 2009

Truth in its ambiguity is a concept that many philosophers, over thousands of

years, sought deeply to define. We struggle to find truth solely because it holds no
generalization of its concept and is defined according to specific areas of knowledge.
Areas such as mathematics, the arts and ethics are all differing storehouses of truth.
Each, in their own system, defines truth very differently because these areas assert it as
only what is upheld to their principles. I will be examining the various differences of what
each area of knowledge holds to be truth and employing several examples and
analogies to illustrate that to a large extent, truth differs in mathematics, the arts and
ethics.
First, it is necessary to understand the different types of truth that surround
mathematics, the arts and ethics. One of the major characteristics of some forms of truth
is that it can be objective. This kind of truth is often seen as a truth that lacks human
judgment, but staples itself on what completely based on the principles it follows. For
instance, it is true everywhere that friction between two objects will release heat based
on scientific principles. Subjective truth on the other hand is relative to a persons
emotions or beliefs and is not an absolute or rigid form of truth it is often contrasted
with objective truth because of this. It is the type that is open to everyone, but the quality
of the truth is unique from person to person. These two contrasting aspects of truth
alone imply that the concept itself cannot be universal in definition but can only suffice
under areas of knowledge that define what truth essentially is in their respective systems.
To begin, the most noticeable area of knowledge that is centered on objective
truth is mathematics. At its core, mathematics is a branch of knowledge that is
completely based on a solid system of numbers, theories and proofs that leaves scarce
room for human opinion or personal justification. It is a system that is essentially asserts
and validates truth that only adheres to its principles. Its principles are sustained by their
simplicity and coherence such that truth in mathematics, even in its most complex forms,

can be broken down. For example, consider the problem, 4 + 4 = 8. It would also be the
same problem if we wrote (2 + 2) + (2 + 2) = 4 or 4 + 4 = 23 because in mathematics, if
the theories that are being applied are correct, so is the truth behind the method or
solution. Such a type of truth can be also called a semantic truth, one that holds an
assertion to be true under the language that it is being expressed in.
Mathematical truth is also described as truth based on experience and empirical
observations. We may say that all birds lay eggs and 3 + 3 = 6, but we would more likely
believe the latter because we have seen so many more examples of 3 + 3 = 6, such as 3
apples plus 3 more apples equals 6 apples, it must be true. In this way mathematics is
also tested with real world applications to determine truth or rather relate it with the
observer.
However a system built on these principles is not without its flaws. Problems in
mathematical truth occur when mathematical principles are followed but do not always
lead to a valid or truthful solution. These contradictions between mathematical principles
and their end results are called mathematical paradoxes. A clear example would be a
globe, particularly the surface. According to one of the principles of mathematics, two
points on a plane can be connected by a straight line that will always be the shortest
length between these two points. On a globe, consider the North and South Pole, which
have not one, but several lines that connect the two points together. This implies that
relying solely on principles in mathematics is not completely correct.
A completely area of knowledge that contrasted truth in mathematics is the arts.
The arts are a wide category of areas ranging from visual arts to music, all having similar
aspects when related to truth. All these categories of art are very subjective to the
influence of other people. A piece of art may be in front of us to judge but we do not
necessarily view it in the same way. In visual arts, what defines truth art is mainly based
on the intention of the artist, the reaction from the public and the quality of the art itself.

These factors are very mixed in interpretation and understanding but it is because of this,
the truth in art is unique from mathematics.
For a piece of art to be recognized as art, the intentions of the artist must be able to
invoke feelings or passions in people. However, because art is subjective, the intentions
of the artist cannot be always known from looking at his or her work of art. One person
may see a random grouping of lines and shapes painted on a canvas as a masterpiece
of abstract thinking, expressing the artists most inner feelings while another may believe
that the artist was absent-mindedly painting without any intentions at all. The truth in art
is not completely limited to the artist. The contradicting viewpoints from interpreters in art
do not take away from the truth but only add to it.
The nature of art is based primarily on imitation, capturing reality and trying to depict
it as close as possible. This means that art changes through time, and similarly its truth.
A piece of art that was created during Renaissance Era may not have the same
interpretation several centuries ago than it would today. It also means that by imitating
reality, art is not a true form of representing life in all its aspects, but rather it is depicting
fiction. However, despite this, art, even as a work of fiction has truth in its own regard by
representing the abstract and in-depth works that are not seen by everyone in reality.
Truth in this way can be seen as combining several different waves of light, representing
the mixed interpretations of art, and by doing so, do they become more and more like a
unified white light, representing the truth behind art.
Yet another area of knowledge that is centered on subjective truth is ethics. Although
what defines ethical truth can be very broad, much of the truth that is defined in ethics is
relative to societal changes and such a dependence on society is called moral relativism.
Like mathematics, what reinforces the concepts of truth in ethics is consistency. Before
the 1950s and 1960s, segregated schools and racism were widely accepted among the
community, finding no principles wrong such accepted beliefs. However, looking at

racism today, it is considered taboo and unethical by the majority of the world. Thus, it is
said that the truth in ethics shifts accordingly to what is seen right by the community and
requires a collaborative effort to change what is ethical and what is not. However, unlike
mathematics, ethics is not solely based on a system of simple principles but rather a
generalization of moral values that need to be applied and interpreted to understand
ethical truth.
Ethics, in general, can be separated into two categories, egoism and altruism, which
each developed several other theories of ethics and the truth behind it. In egoistic ethics,
we act based on self-interest, implying that humans are naturally selfish, fearful of
consequences and ignore the plight of others for our own happiness. Judgment from this
form of ethics means that our mind is narrow, not able to accept truth from anyone else
but our own, leaving the ethical truth only originating from ourselves, specifically our
human nature. In altruistic ethics, there are more tendencies to look after the problems
of other people as a duty or obligation. Such ethical actions are motivated by the
example of others such as the kindness of a strangers or role models. The truth in this
form of ethics is subjective to how a person interprets and applies his or her ethics and is
a combination of several ethical interpretations. I found this to be very true during my
visit to China in the summer of 2009. In China, there was an abundance of pirated
content (videos, games, etc.), usually condemned in Western culture, but popularly
accepted there, making the issue of free knowledge very subjective. Truth in this area of
knowledge can be said to be very scattered but at the same time centered on the
subjective nature of truth in ethics. This is very similar to the structure of the modern
atom, where we can never know where the electrons that fly around the nucleus of the
atom are but we do know that they are there and they can only move around certain
areas of the atom called shells. These shells are very much like out ethical principles.

So, the value of truth is not just a term that can be universal in definition but varies
from area to area. In mathematics, the arts and ethics, the truth differs greatly in these
categories. It is necessary to evaluate the systematic differences between each area of
knowing before examining their differences in truth. It is by understanding these
differences that the concept of truth can be made clearer. Thinkers must be able to
grasp different types of truth to be able to question it.

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