Tag Archives: religion

Objective vs. Subjective Truth: Can Reality Be Independent of Perspective?

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With many of our political leaders and wannabes being even more flexible with facts these days than usual, especially during elections and internal party races, I felt I needed to get back into the whole Truth vs.Transparency debate.  The notion that truth depends on perspective is a long-standing debate in philosophy, epistemology, and even science. This idea, often associated with relativism, suggests that truth is not absolute, but rather contingent on individual experiences, cultural backgrounds, or frameworks of understanding. However, this claim is not without challenges, as there are also arguments in favor of objective and universal truths. To fully explore this concept, we must examine different domains where truth operates: subjective experience, science, social and political contexts, and philosophical thought.

Perspective and Subjective Truth
In many aspects of human experience, truth is shaped by individual perspective. This is especially evident in perception, memory, and personal beliefs. Two people witnessing the same event might recall it differently due to factors such as their background, cognitive biases, emotional states, or even the angle from which they viewed the scene. This idea aligns with psychological research on eyewitness testimony, which has shown that memory is often reconstructive rather than a perfect recording of reality.

Similarly, in moral and ethical debates, truth is often perspective-dependent. For example, the moral acceptability of euthanasia, capital punishment, or animal rights varies across cultures and individuals. Some believe that these issues have absolute moral answers, while others argue that they are contingent on cultural norms, social circumstances, or personal values. This form of truth relativism suggests that moral truths exist only within particular frameworks and are not universally binding.

The same can be said for aesthetic judgments. Whether a painting is beautiful or a piece of music is moving depends entirely on the individual’s perspective, cultural exposure, and personal taste. In these cases, truth appears to be entirely relative, as there is no objective standard for determining beauty or artistic value.

Scientific and Objective Truth
While subjective truths are shaped by perspective, there are many instances where truth appears to be independent of personal viewpoints. In science, for instance, objective truths are discovered through empirical evidence and repeatable experimentation. The boiling point of water at sea level is 100°C, regardless of who measures it or what they believe. The theory of gravity describes forces that apply universally, irrespective of individual perspectives. These facts suggest that some truths exist independently of human perception and belief.

However, even in science, perspective plays a role in shaping how truths are understood. Scientific paradigms, as described by Thomas Kuhn in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, shift over time. What is considered “true” in one era may later be revised. For example, Newtonian physics was once seen as the ultimate truth about motion and force, but Einstein’s theory of relativity redefined our understanding of space and time. This suggests that while some scientific truths may be objective, our understanding of them is influenced by perspective and historical context.

Social and Political Truths
In social and political discourse, truth is often contested, shaped by competing narratives and interests. Political ideologies influence how events are interpreted and presented. The same historical event can be described differently depending on the source; one news outlet may highlight a particular set of facts while another emphasizes a different aspect, leading to multiple “truths” about the same event.

This phenomenon is especially evident in propaganda, media bias, and misinformation. A politician may claim that an economic policy has been a success, citing certain statistics, while an opponent presents an alternative set of data to argue the opposite. In such cases, truth becomes less about objective reality and more about which perspective dominates public discourse.

Additionally, postmodern thinkers like Michel Foucault argue that truth is linked to power structures. Those in power determine what is accepted as truth, shaping knowledge production in ways that reinforce their authority. This perspective challenges the idea that truth is purely objective, suggesting instead that it is constructed through discourse and institutional influence.

Philosophical Challenges: Can Truth Ever Be Objective?
Philosophers have long debated whether truth is ultimately subjective or objective. Immanuel Kant, for example, argued that we can never access the world as it truly is (noumena), but only as it appears to us through our senses and cognitive structures (phenomena). This implies that all knowledge is shaped by human perception, making pure objectivity impossible.

On the other hand, Plato’s theory of forms suggests that there are absolute truths – unchanging, eternal realities that exist beyond the material world. Mathematical truths, for instance, seem to be independent of human perspective. The Pythagorean theorem is true regardless of culture, language, or opinion.

Existentialist philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre take a different approach, arguing that meaning and truth are constructed by individuals rather than discovered. From this perspective, truth is not something external to be found but something we create through our actions and beliefs.

Is Truth Relative or Absolute?
The idea that truth depends on perspective holds significant weight in subjective, moral, and social contexts. In matters of perception, ethics, and politics, truth often appears to be relative, shaped by individual experiences, cultural backgrounds, and power dynamics. However, in science, mathematics, and logic, objective truths exist independently of human interpretation, though our understanding of them may evolve over time.

The challenge lies in distinguishing between what is truly relative and what is universally valid. While perspective influences many aspects of truth, dismissing the possibility of objective truth altogether leads to skepticism and uncertainty. A balanced approach recognizes that while some truths are shaped by perspective, others remain constant regardless of human interpretation.

When Stillness Meets Flow

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“When the masculine rests in awareness, and the feminine moves in devotion – the universe finds its perfect geometry”

This quote by Kaivalyapadama is a poetic distillation of ancient tantric and yogic philosophy, weaving together the metaphysical, psychological, and relational dimensions of existence.

Archetypal Masculine and Feminine Energies

This isn’t about gender, but about principles found in all beings and in all systems:

  • The Masculine symbolizes stillness, presence, consciousness, structure, and witnessing. It is the container.
  • The Feminine symbolizes movement, feeling, intuition, energy, creation, and love. It is the flow within the container.

In tantric traditions (Shiva-Shakti, for example), Shiva (masculine) is pure consciousness — unmoving, eternal — while Shakti (feminine) is the energy that dances creation into being. Without awareness, devotion flails. Without devotion, awareness stagnates.

“Rests in Awareness” – The Role of the Masculine

To rest in awareness is not to dominate, judge, or fix — but to simply be. It is radical presence. In individuals, this is the quiet, centered part of the self that holds space for chaos, change, and emotion without becoming reactive.

In relationships, the masculine partner who embodies awareness becomes a sanctuary — their stillness creates trust, safety, and depth. In society, a culture rooted in awareness promotes wisdom over reaction, and long-term vision over short-term gain.

“Moves in Devotion” – The Role of the Feminine

To move in devotion is to surrender into flow with love, beauty, and purpose. The feminine principle here is not passive, but deeply powerful — dancing, birthing, transforming. Devotion doesn’t mean subservience, but alignment: the feminine energy knows that movement without love becomes frenzy, while love without movement becomes longing.

In a person, when your emotions, desires, and creative forces move from a place of devotion — to truth, to a cause, to spirit — they become transformational rather than chaotic.

“The Universe Finds Its Perfect Geometry”

Geometry, especially in spiritual traditions, signifies order, balance, symmetry, and harmony. Sacred geometry underpins everything from atomic structure to the golden ratio in sunflowers to cathedral design.

So when these energies align:

  • Awareness holds space,
  • Devotion flows through it,
  • The resulting dance is not random, but exquisitely structured — a mandala of being.

This is not just esoteric metaphor: many relational therapists, somatic practitioners, and spiritual teachers use this lens. It’s evident in sexual polarity dynamics, in leadership and support systems, in artistic creation, even in neural science where calm awareness (prefrontal cortex) holds space for emotional movement (limbic system).

Application and Practice

This quote calls us toward balance:

  • In ourselves: Can I cultivate still presence and loving movement?
  • In our relationships: Do we create dynamics where one can witness, and the other can offer energy?
  • In society: Are we building systems that balance structure with flow, logic with empathy, clarity with creativity?

Meditation (awareness) and prayer (devotion) are often seen as two wings of the same bird. Stillness invites movement; movement is anchored by stillness.

Conclusion

This quote is less a prescription than a profound invitation — to align the inner masculine and feminine, to dance with our own nature, and to trust that when these polarities are rightly placed, life doesn’t just function — it harmonizes. Geometry isn’t merely about lines and angles; it’s about relationships — and when awareness and devotion relate well, the pattern they create is nothing less than sacred.