"Truth has always been found to promote the best interests of mankind."
by:
Percy Bysshe Shelley
(1792-1822) British poet
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5 stars
 -- Gloria Mashat, Los Angeles     
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    That is why the school system is teaching that truth is different for each person. When truth and fact have no relation ship it makes it easier to fool people into thinking socialism is a good idea.
     -- warren, olathe     
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    This quote is very important in my line of work. There is so many myths, misinterpretations and outright lies coming from the anti-gun crowd. Misconceptions and falsehoods are the ammunition that the anti-gun crowd relies heavily upon. The truth is always in the best interest of mankind.
     -- SaveTheGuns.com, Maine     
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    Maine is right. The government furthers its agenda of disarmament of citizens, dumbing down America and stripping us of our rights through a campaign of lies and deceptions. And we're supposed to "trust" these people? No Way! Its time to clean house...Go Ron Paul. :)
     -- J Carlton, Calgary     
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    Indeed -- there is no Liberation without it.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    What truth? Philosophically speaking, truth is relative, because everyone opperates on their own subjective perception and level of understanding. Even religion cannot find a unifying "truth"-- look at how many Christian sects there are who interpret and claim "truth" from the Word of God (Bible) but who continually contradict each other (and I'm saying this as a Christian). Is Shelley's version of truth the same as my own? What if my version of truth wants to cleanse the blood line of Europe? The limits of Shelley's "truth' would have to be established for this quote to be worth much.
     -- Logan, Memphis, TN     
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    How about we limit the concept of truth to freedom and liberty and the religions can be free to believe whatever they want too. That being said, we're being lied to.
     -- Anonymous     
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    Truth is NOT relative -- that is lawyer talk. The truth is the truth whether we know it or not. The most honest thing one may say about the 'truth' is that 'I don't know what it is.' We confuse 'belief' with truth, and most do not know how to even be honest with oneself -- especially when the price is high. We know when we are lying -- so we know what the real truth is in our own little domain. Not knowing about gravity does not prevent it -- it is not relative -- it is the absolute nature of the universe. When we can learn to admit that we do not know, then we are ready to discover truth -- perhaps only in small doses. We have tiny little brains, so 'truth' will have to be realized in that context and relative to the capacity of our intellect -- but that does not make the truth relative, only our capacity for understanding. The truth is NOT relative -- it is absolute.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    Per Logan, philosophically, truth is relative as an evolving investigation of the nature of reality and human perception. However in the public arena, pragmatism demands a concrete approach to the TRUTH that is fact based and not conceptually interpretative. Obviously our government, and the marketing gurus of madison avenue, do not subscribe to this distinction. It is all about what they can sell to the masses who have, as Warren observes, been sorely manipulated in a failed educational system.
     -- EGL, LA     
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    Truth can be looked at from many different angles and interpreted differently because the observer always influences the observation. However, there must be some real truth there before it can be observed. Plato's Allegory of the Cave shows that human beings have been wrestling with this question for thousands of years. The problem is that even though the truth may be beneficial to mankind, sometimes the interpretation is not.
     -- Ken, Allyn, WA     
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    The most correct definition of "truth" I have come across is that "truth is". I agree that there is truth, but philosophically there can be no unifying qualification to truth. You can only presuppose that an intentional "lie" can only happen when the "truth" is already known-- however, what if what a person believes to be the truth is a incorrect? As an extreme example: Suppose a man claimed the sun was purple, even though he knew (or thought he knew) that the sun was green. Both his "lie" and his perceived "truth" are incorrect (because we all know it's brown, right?). If truth is static, and exists even if it's not perceived, then we have a problem: All methods of interpreting or defining truth (language, reasoning, etc.) are in flux-- they are always changing. How can we possibly ever objectively define the concrete when the very tools of definition are in flux? Yes, truth IS absolute. But because men are subjective beings, corruptible in every way by the flux, our interpretation of truth is--at best--relative. This doesn't change the fact that the quote is worthless, unless Shelley defines his own interpretation of the "truth". A statement of truth, by itself, is worthless unless the limits are found to what is being expressed.
     -- Logan, Memphis, TN     
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    Truth is an element of natural law; thus, the closer or more accurate man's definition of what truth "IS" (at philosophy, logic, life style, defining facts, religion, relativity, man's understanding, etc., etc., etc.), the greater the promotion of mankind's interests will be. In reality, there is NOT one truth for one person and another truth for someone else (such is only personal comfort or understanding based on perception or desires). By way of example: there is either a God or, there is no God. If there is a God, he/she/it will be what ever he/she/it is, no matter what anyone says = truth.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    It is an essential truth that if there were no transcendent Truth, neither Man nor the natural realm of which he is the most consequential, more than simply natural, component would exist.
     -- Patrick Henry, Red Hill     
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     -- jim k, austin      
    The word 'truth' implies a language -- in order to tell the truth, you have to speak a language that the listener can understand. Using words to 'tell it like it is' is a skill -- you can describe a pineapple to a certain extent, but not enough to create the actual pineapple from the description -- a 3D designer can get real close, but never exact. So the words are a representation of the truth as described by the speaker. The pineapple IS. The speaker is trying to be truthful in its explanation, but the words will never equal the pineapple itself, it will always fall short of another aspect of the pineapple not included in the description. But speaking truthfully allows for a truthful 'witnessing.' Telling the truth, what little of it I may be able to communicate, leads to the bigger picture of the truth. The truth is always right in front of us. It's discernment requires an honest inquiry. Perhaps the quote should be:

    "Speaking truthfully has always been found to promote the best interests of mankind."
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    Concepts of "truth". It is astounding at the passiveness of ignorance. The bantering about of words to no profit from the learned.
    What is Freedom ? Ye can tell
    That which slavery is to well,
    For its very name has grown
    To an echo of your own.
    Let a vast assembly be,
    and with great solemnity
    Declare with measured words, That ye
    are, as God has made ye, Free.
    The old laws of England - They
    Whose reverend heads are grey,
    Children of a wiser day;
    and whose solemn voice must be
    Thine own echo-Liberty !
    Rise like lions after slumber
    In unvanquishable number !
    Shake your chains to earth like dew
    Which in sleep had fallen on you:
    Ye are many they are few."
    Mask of Anarchy, by Shelly.
    " Kindling within the bosoms of my readers a virtuous enthusiasm for those doctrines of Liberty and justice. that faith and hope in something good, which neither violence nor misrepresentation nor prejudice can every totally extinguish among mankind." Shelly's sentiments.
    " There is no danger to man, that knows
    what life and death is: there's not any law
    exceeds his knowledge; neither is it lawful
    that he should stoop to any other law." George Chapman.
    Truth ( emeth ) verity, right, faithful, stability, trustworthyness.
    Truth ( emunah ) security, fidelity, faithfulness, honesty and firmness of Oath, and official obligation.
    Truth ( Qosht ) Balance, equity, Reality, Certainty. truth.
    " And wisdom and knowledge shall be the " stability " of thy times." A technical term meaning ' A fixed position " or enduring office established.
    In the abstract, idea, truth ( emunah ) a nation who obeys not the voice of their foundational doctrines. Two senses, the personal sense which identifies a subject as honest, trustworthy, faithful and truthful. And the factual sense, which identifies a subject as being factually true, as apposed to that which is false. Lasting, continuing and certain are the aspects of the concept of truth. Truth as a subjective quality, defined personally, ( truthfulness said and maintained ). One can practice and speak the truth. In such cases, it is not a persons dependability ( others can act on the basis of it ) but his reliability ( conformity to what is true ) that is considered. The first emphasis is subjective, and the second objective. It is not always possible to discern which emphasis is intended by a given statement or passage.
    Truth ( Aletheia ) verity, Truth used objectively signifying the Reality lying at the basis of an appearance; The manifested, veritable essence of a matter. Especially of Christian doctrine concerning the "truth" of the gospel and ones Liberty and Freedom, denoting the "true" teaching of Liberty, in contrast to perversions of it. The meaning of truth " Aletheia " is not merely ethical "truth" but "truth" in all its fullness and scope, an absolute force. Subjectively, Truthfulness/truth, not merely verbal, but sincerity, and integrity of character. The Truth shall make you free indeed ! Semper Fi


     -- Ronw13, Oregon     
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    Wash the children with the water of the word that they may understand, feed them the bread of life, that they my live. " Cast thy bread upon the waters." Fish food !
     -- Ronw13, Oregon     
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    Truth is a very rare commodity in a culture of fake news and disagreement. If it is distilled down to what is universally acknowledged and undisputed (?Newtonian physics) then all else is conjecture and opinion and the truth exists independent of knowledge. I'd agree with some of the above sentiment that being truthful to oneself and others we come into contact with is useful as a guiding principle.
     -- Mick, Manchester     
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