This document discusses the nature of truth and how it relates to art and ideas. It argues that truth is objective and absolute, not relative or subjective. It asserts that truth can be known through reason and that contrary or self-defeating statements about the inability to know truth undermine themselves. The document suggests that as artists express ideas through their work, they should be mindful that ideas have consequences and false ideas about truth can lead to false ideas about life.

1. TRUTH IN ART
Or what your Art is Really About

2. 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.”

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. BELIEF VS. TRUTH
 A persons beliefs may be true or false.
 You can hold contrary beliefs.
 Contrary truths are not possible.

7. 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.

8. QUESTION?
 If there is no truth, then why try to learn anything?

9. 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.”

10. 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”?

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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.