How I Decide

When conducting a science experiment, scientist depends on facts. A fact is something that you can prove, without any argument, that it is right. It is something that can be tested against all possibilities, and against any argument, it will not be proven wrong. The same is true in math. Only the philosophical people are try to make life more than and harder than it really is, would ever question the fact that 2+2=4. All facts need proof and explanation. I remember learning in elementary school that a rectangle is a square, but a square is not a rectangle. To me, the same correlation can be made between facts and truth. Something that is a fact is always true, but a truth is not always a fact.

There are so many truths in this world and in one's life. Some of them are things that are taught to us as fact, but others are truths that are formed by an individual based either on their understanding, beliefs, logic, preference, or other reason. The question is; How does one determine whether or not something is true, being that it is not a truth that can be proven as a fact? In my own life, there are many things that I use in determining whether or not something is true. I will use understanding, usually formed by education on the idea or subject. Sometimes I will determine the truth based of my beliefs, either in my faith, my personal views, or inherited ideas. Other times I will develop the truth by default; knowing that one thing is not true, must mean that the other is true. By determining what in life I find to be true, leads me to determining what I believe to be right. These conclusions lead me through life in helping me to determine how I make decisions and how I form my views of the world.

I have found, most shockingly, that there are many differing views of truth within my own "people." I mentioned that in some cases I determine what I believe to be true based on my faith, or my religion. It must be clear, unfortunately, that I am speaking of MY faith. You would think that for people who share in a belief, in my case Jesus Christ being our Lord and Savior who came to earth to save us and will return one day to ascend us all into the Heaven that our God prepared for the ones who believe and follow him. While this seems to be pretty straight forward, each one who believes this will have different views as to what is true. Yes, we would all probably agree to the things I just stated, but to what degree and effect? I have been shocked since attending Fox at the wide spread of beliefs, within our belief. The fact is, and denominations have proven it, that no one will ever see truth the same as anyone else. Some believe more strongly that the law is the most important aspect of the word. Others find that Jesus' words are the most important. There are many other beliefs, but my point is that there is no fact in this religion because everyone will see it differently. There for, the truths that are found are based on individual understanding and needs. That is not to say that something that one believes is true, really isn't. It is merely a truth that is not a fact.

On other decisions on right or truth, I will turn to the authorities in my life. To me an authority is either someone I respect, someone who has experienced what they are guiding me through, or someone that I am required to treat as an authority in benefit of safety and leadership; for example our government, or police officers. Using authorities to help make decisions can be of huge benefit. You are able, in a way, to pass the stages of understanding and determination, and just be able to be taught and agree with someone with whom you believe to find truth or rightness in a way in which you normally agree. There are many times in life when determination of the truth can take a lot of effort and time. Especially on the issues in which you are not remotely familiar, using the authorities in your life allow you to trust in them in determining what you believe to be true or right. In some cases, you may find yourself second guessing the decision that you came across. In either way, you have been able to lean on an authority that has helped guide you that much closer to determining what you believe to be true. This is an example of default reasoning.

Sometimes you will conclude to what is right simply by deciding that something else is wrong. Tradition is another huge aspect in people's lives that effect what they determine to be right or true. Traditions bring with them many views on what is right or true. It can be passed on through a country, through a state, through your city, your school, your street, your family, or your friends. You are born into traditions and are constantly adopting and creating them as you go through life. For example, I was taught since I was a little girl that the Christmas tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving and goes down on January 2. Although this is something that came from my mother's particular-ness, it has been engrained in me as the right way to do it. Or in our country, we have been taught to obey the laws and to salute the flag. Although there are always those people who will deliberately defy the law, we as a society have come to the conclusion that the law and the flag deserve our respect. That is the right way to do it. Now as someone gets older, they will determine their own view of whether or not that is right, but as a collective society, we have continued to decide that that is the right way to do it. We also use tradition to determine what worked and what didn't. By seeing what in past traditions has failed, we decide that that isn't right and form a better (right) way to do it. In all honesty, many people adopt tradition and the truths that come with it, not because they agree with it, but because it's the easy way to do it. Like I mentioned earlier, making decisions on what is the right way or wrong way can take a lot of time and effort. Because our lives are so busy and there are so many decisions of truth and rightness in life, many times we recruit to our traditions to make the decisions for us. People will also use this out of fear of having to make a decision on their own, and possible coming to a conclusion that ends us being hurtful, or wrong in some way.

Although not all truths can be proven as facts, there are many people that have to test their view or belief against cause and effect. What effects could this view have? If I believe this way, and disregard the other view, what effect