IN THE PROCESS OF APPREHENSION
OF THE TRUTH
p From ancient times the answer to the question "what is truth?" has been sought with the same vital significance given to the quest for the "philosopher’s stone" in the realm of alchemy. In the eyes of many this answer was to demonstrate the meaning of human life and point the way to the highest forms of morality.
p The very same question "what is truth?" is posed by science, only with a different format, for truth is indeed the primary goal and fundamental result of scientific research and discovery.
p An idea, once adopted as a given truth by a collective, thereby becomes an element unifying this group, since through its affirmation individual inclination is given expression as collective opinion. This also occurs when misconceptions receive wide circulation and masquerade as the truth, to be exposed only over the course of time. Thus truth contains, in potentiality, elements of moral principle. In substance this pertains to all truths, including those which determine the 53 actions and judgements made through ideological channels and those whicn are remote from ideological problems. Therefore the struggle for the victory of each given idea advanced as the truth and capable of becoming collective opinion has a definite moral impact. The nature of the latter is conditioned by the type of truth to be affirmed and defended and by the role exerted therein by both faith and doubt.
p For science the apprehension of a truth "on faith" does not suffice. Verification and confirmation both in practice and through intersecting theoretical constructions are a sine qua non. Religion does not leave room for doubts to be cast on the truth of its dogma. Science, on the other hand, forces all truths to pass through the prism of doubt. Through doubt it finds reinforcement and locates more correct solutions. This represents the impressive moral fiber of science. It is this strength which appears to be capable of liberating humankind from the fetters of ignorance and of inspiring man to struggle against the gods and the elements, of reinforcing the sense of individual strength in man’s consciousness, and of turning his efforts to the service of people.
p The uncompromising nature of science distinguishes it from all other spheres of human activity and endows it, in the eyes of many, with a unique capacity for generating authentic truths and force mercilessly exposing falsehoods. By itself this is capable of facilitating the unification of humans around the ideals of science. The collective recognition of the reality of scientific truth is imbued with the collective expectation of the realization of these truths and engenders the conviction that if something is carried out in a scientific manner this indicates that it is being performed correctly.
p Not all types of scientific truths are directly correlative with morality. If the moral implications of truths derived from the social sciences are self-evident, the same may not be said of the truths offered by the natural sciences. To cite one instance, what impact in the area of moral relations can be deduced from the assertion that two times two equals four rather than three? However in actual life a knowledge of the multiplication tables does expedite the conclusion of proper decisions and encourage honesty in determination of behaviour.
It is possible to set aside morality in the process of discovering social and natural laws. But to apply these laws and to side-step collisions with moral questions is impossible, for these questions pervade all life situations. Therefore the intrusion of science in whatever form into life has definite moral effects (which will be more direct if the given intrusion is 54 connected with the realization of ideas from the social sciences, and indirect when connected with the realization of those from the natural sciences).
Notes