Truth? Or opinion? Or belief?...the dilemma

Six blind men are asked to touch an elephant, but only one part of the elephant.

The first one who feels one of the elephants legs answers: "It feels like a pillar."

The second one who feels the tail answers: "It feels like a rope." The third one who feels the elephant's trunk answers: "It feels like a tree branch." The forth one who feels the ear answers: "It feels like a hand fan." The fifth one who feels the belly answers: It feels like a wall." The sixth one who feels the tusk answers: "It feels like a solid pipe." 

This is a story used in Jainism, an ancient Indian religion, often used to reveal the precariousness of the concept "truth".

"Truth" is a topic which has been discussed for many years by many people, and according to philosophers, it will probably keep on being discussed for many more years.

In conversation with someone just the other day I asked that person what he is passionate about in life and he answered: truth.

When I asked him what he meant with "truth", he answered: "What do you mean? Truth is truth."

This is an answer that I have come across many times and for many of us perhaps it's a simple as that.....but for some of us.....not so much.

It seems to me that we often deem something a "truth" because to us it IS truth, but pondering the issue, I have come to believe that we often call something "the truth" when perhaps it is more of an "opinion" rather than a truth.

Some say that truth is something that is supported by evidence. Well, what kind of evidence? 

Evidence based on the scientific method? Oxford Dictionaries: "scientific method is a method or procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17th century, consisting in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses". Experiments need to be designed to test hypotheses. The most important part of the scientific method is the experiment." Hmmm...problem: scientific method can not be applied to everything ..... 

"Are you speaking the truth when you say that you love me? Well, let's observe, measure, test, and experiment, and come up with a hypotheses......"    Although we use the term "mind" as if it is "real", nobody sofar can verify through "scientific method" that such exist. I mean, can we really "loose" our minds, be out of our minds, or be mindless? We can't touch, see, hear, or taste it, yet most of us would agree that "mind" exists, so....can it somehow still be the truth?

What can be tricky with differentiating between truth and opinion is that something can "feel" like the truth but when scrutinized, prove to be an opinion. On top of that dilemma, sometimes something we believe very strongly can also feel like the truth. 

Well, what about "absolute" truth's? An absolute truth, also at times called a universal truth, is an unalterable and permanent fact so the definition goes, however, the existence of such has been debated, and is still debated among different groups of people. Okay then, so, what about "relative" truth's then? Facts can vary depending on circumstances: gravity used to be viewed as an absolute truth, however, today's scientists would probable deem it more of a relative truth. (There are many more examples to be found if you are interested)

Opinion: "a belief that a person has formed about something (topic, issue), .... a view or judgement formed about something, .....opinion is commonly the result of a person's perspective, understanding, feelings, beliefs, and preferences." 

Opinions can be problematic, because even if we can find facts to substantiate what we hold to be true, we are often biased without realizing it ....... we hold on to the facts the supports our opinions and often ignore, or just don't "see", those that don't. 

"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions." (Leonardo da Vinci)

The parable about the blind men and the elephant can show us how one person's experience of "truth" may be just a part of the "bigger" truth; each of them knew something about the elephant through touching parts of it, but neither one of them were able to determine the elephant's complete nature.

If we base our understanding of truth solely on our own experiences, beliefs, and or information, although we may experience it as the truth, more likely than not we may find it difficult to respect and value other's points of view. If we want others to respect and value our opinions, a good start in my view is to do the same for others.

"It's not whether you agree with the opinion of another person that matters as much as how you respect it." (Rybird)
(Sorry for the look of this, something has gone crazy and doesn't want to be fixed)