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

International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge

Truth is defined as an entity that corresponds to reality or facts, where the statement or conformity is verified and accepted widely by people and the rules of the universe. Mathematics is the study of the relationships among numbers, shapes, and quantities. The Arts are the creation of works that creates an emotional response within both the artist and the viewer(s). Finally, the ethics are the morals and principles that guide individuals in life. One question that arises is whether "truth" means exactly the same for each of the Areas of Knowledge, whether the rules, procedures and conditions are similar enough to warrant our truth for each Area of Knowledge. And the answer to the question is no, as truth is different in mathematics, the arts and the ethics. Moreover, truth is defined differently for each case. And thus the Knowledge Claim is put forward that even though truth exists differently in mathematics, the arts and the ethics, the extent is common between the three.

To understand truth, one must dwell into it completely since philosophically, truth is more than mathematics, the arts and the ethics, and these areas of knowledge cannot exist without truth. Furthermore, to make the differentiation of truth easy, truth can be divided into absolute, relative and subjective. But the truth exists in these areas differently. In the arts, absolute truth may be represented when experts determine what is considered to be beautiful. Also, absolute truth in the arts could be seen in Plato's Theory of the World of Ideas . The World of Ideas evidently holds the ideal, perfect form of entities on earth, and everything on earth is based upon its form in the world of ideas, but with some slight variations or mutations. Hence, truth is absolute because the most beautiful or perfect art would come closest to portraying things in their ideal form. However, I believe that truth in the arts may also be considered relative because in our world, the quality or beauty of something varies between time periods and cultures. For example, during the Renaissance, the ideal figure of a woman was more heavyset than what is considered to be the ideal figure of a woman in the 21st century. On the other hand, truth in the arts can also be viewed as subjective in the sense that individuals are free to decide what is beautiful. In addition, it must not be disregarded that the arts are always judged through emotions, and since emotions are one Ways of Knowing that is considered to be least promising when it comes to determining the final truth, the determination of truth for different individuals will vary accordingly.

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In ethics, there are also traces of all three types of truth. Absolute truth may be portrayed in ethics in the belief that there is a universal set of ethics. For example, in every culture, killing for one's owns purpose is considered wrong. Also, ethical truth may be considered absolute if one chooses to believe that the rules by which we live never change. However, the truth in ethics may be viewed as relative, if viewed from the perception that the rules by which we ought to live vary from culture to culture. Furthermore, ethical truth may be considered relative if one considered the rules by which we live to be situational. For example, the Epicureans believed that the highest good in life was pleasure, but the greatest evil was pain or suffering. However, sometimes pleasure or happiness may later result in pain, so they would have to weigh out the consequences of their actions. This can be perceived as relative because in some situations, it would be acceptable to choose pleasure, but in others it would not. On the other hand, ethical truth may be viewed as subjective because one may have personal beliefs that govern what they believe is right and wrong.

In mathematics, for example, one could argue that the truth in mathematics is absolute because the laws/theorems of math are constant and unchanging. These laws/theorems are accepted widely and without doubts around the world. It is possible to algebraically prove certain identities and laws of mathematics. However, one could also argue that the truth in mathematics is relative because while theorems and laws of math exist, there are still limits to the theorems in most situations. For example, in the sine and cosine functions, the value of sin(x) must lie within the domain -1 < x < 1, so the sine function is only valid for a certain domain. This means that there are exceptions to truth in mathematics. It can also be said that there is a limit to truth in some mathematical cases, but truth always exists. On the other hand, one could also argue that the truth in mathematics is subjective because one must accept the laws of mathematics for them to exist. For example, if we people stop believing in the Pythagorean Theorem, we would also have to stop believing that every entity designed using the theorem doesn’t exist.

One evident difference between the arts and mathematics is that the final truth, according to the definition of truth being in correspondence with facts and reality, always exists in mathematics, but not always in the arts and the ethics. The truth is produced in mathematics solely through reasoning. On the contrary, it is easier to prove the ethics and the arts false rather than true through reasoning. For instance, people who believe that euthanasia is ethical believe that it is ‘right’ because they have their morals and emotions involved probably along with some experience. But for others it might be unethical since taking lives is already unethical. For another instance, an artist draws twenty moons for Earth as a painting. For any scientifically knowledgeable person, it would be easier for them to prove the artist’s perception wrong through the laws of gravity and geometry. However, the artist can argue that the correct truth is the meaning, not its feasibility. It must also be noted that the aim of the arts is to go beyond language whereas mathematics is a language that describes what is beyond us. Hence, it is easy to misinterpret the truth in the arts since the communication might be superfluous, whereas mathematics communicates with us in a limit, a limit where the human brain can understand and justify.

After considering truth in each case, a knowledge issue arises. Can a single truth in the arts ever exist? It is almost impossible for the world to come to a common perception towards a work of art, whether it is a painting or a play. It must be stated that every different interpretation of a piece of art is entangled with emotions. For instance, a priest might not find an R-rated movie appealing but some teenagers might. The priest might be involving his emotions along with his ethics to judge the movie and through this blend, interpreting the true meaning behind it.

In conclusion, this issue will live until the human life exists. Truth in arts differs for different individuals, but does exist. Hence, it can be safe to say that numerous truths exist in art but unlike mathematics, a common truth does not exist. Because of the different blend of emotions and perception around the world, a common judgment and agreement towards any art cannot be achieved.

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<http://apperceptual.wordpress.com/2009/05/08/math-and-art-differences-and-similarities/>