Explore Science-first Philosophy

STORY

Absolute Truth

By Michael Alan Prestwood

Sun 2 Jun 2024
Published 2 years ago.
Updated 1 week ago.
Related Stories
Upper and Lowercase Starts
Neolithic Symbols: China
Cognitive Biases
Grand Rational Framework
Galileo: Observation Corrects the Map
Arthur Schopenhauer
Share :

Absolute Truth

The Idea of the Unknowable Dao
New Look

Truth is the successful correspondence between a proposition and reality, and human absolute truths do not exist. 

30 Philosophers, Chapter 20, Francis Bacon, Touchstone 49: Absolute Truth.

An absolute truth is a description that is universally consistent with objective reality. Objective reality refers to the material world as it is—reality that exists independently of human thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. This is the metaphysical “split” discussed in the Idea of Ideas, between the Material World and our ideas. The belief in objective reality is the key to science, law, and journalism. And the kicker is that every empirical test performed adds to its validation.

To be clear, absolute truths are not the same as Empirical Ideas. Both objective reality and absolute truths are on the other side of the “split” from our empirical ideas about them. Meaning, absolute truths about objective reality do exist, and our ideas concerning them represent our best descriptions, yet these ideas are still subject to fallibility.

Analysis: This view of absolute truth is extremely similar to Kant’s distinction between phenomena and noumena. Both perspectives recognize an underlying reality beyond human perception. However, while Kant maintains that the noumenal world is ultimately unknowable and only serves as a limiting concept to our understanding, this view asserts that absolute truth exists as the foundation of reality, with our ideas about it being descriptive and subject to continuous refinement.

— map / TST —

Michael Alan Prestwood
Author & Natural Philosopher
Prestwood writes on science-first philosophy, with particular attention to the convergence of disciplines. Drawing on his TST Framework, his work emphasizes rational inquiry grounded in empirical observation while engaging questions at the edges of established knowledge. With TouchstoneTruth positioned as a living touchstone, this work aims to contribute reliable, evolving analysis in an emerging AI era where the credibility of information is increasingly contested.
Email
Print
This Week @ TST
April 8, 2026
»Column Archive
WWB Research….
1. Story of the Week
Pragmatism
2. Quote of the Week
“Our statements about the external world face the tribunal of sense experience not individually, but only as a corporate body.”
3. Science FAQ »
Why do scientific models work if they aren’t literally true?
4. Philosophy FAQ »
Is agnosticism a ludicrous position to occupy?
5. Critical Thinking FAQ »
Do my people and culture help or harm my critical thinking?
6. History FAQ!
Did Berger and Luckmann really say reality is just made up?
Bonus Deep-Dive Article
TST Doxastic Formation: Public Belief, Tribe, and Worldview
Scroll to Top