We often speak of truth as though it is something clear, objective, and readily available. We ask whether a statement is true or false, whether an account is accurate or misleading, and whether a belief reflects reality.
But what if truth is far more elusive than we imagine?
Truth and Experience
Consider a seminar attended by one hundred people. The seminar takes place. The speaker speaks. The audience listens. At that moment, everyone present experiences the event directly. This is what I would call experienced truth. Those in attendance do not rely on second-hand reports they witness the event for themselves. Yet even here, a problem emerges. After the seminar, participants discuss what they heard. Some focus on one point, others on another. Different people leave with different conclusions despite witnessing the same event. The event was singular. The experiences were many.
The Journey from Truth to Interpretation
Now imagine one attendee describes the seminar to a friend. The friend describes it to another. A journalist writes an article. Someone summarizes the article online. With each step, the original event moves further away. What is transmitted is no longer the event itself but an interpretation of it. The further truth travels from direct experience, the greater the possibility of distortion. Not necessarily through dishonesty, but through the ordinary limitations of human beings. Memory is imperfect. Language is imperfect. Interpretation is imperfect. Context is often lost.
Three Levels of Truth
We can distinguish between three different levels:
[1] Reality What actually happened. Reality exists independently of our opinions about it.
[2] Experienced Truth An individual's direct encounter with reality. This is first-hand, but still filtered through perception.
[3] Perceived Truth Truth as communicated, remembered, interpreted, or retold. This is the version most people encounter in everyday life.
Is There Such a Thing as Ultimate Truth?I believe ultimate truth may exist. The challenge is that human beings never seem to access it directly. We encounter reality through our senses, our memories, our emotions, our language, and our assumptions. Everything passes through a filter. Even direct experience is not pure reality. It is reality as experienced by a particular observer. This may explain why intelligent and sincere people can witness the same event and reach different conclusions. They are not necessarily disagreeing about reality itself. They are disagreeing about their perceptions of reality.The further we move from reality, the more interpretation enters the process.
The Humility of Not Knowing
If truth is always filtered through perception, then certainty becomes difficult. This does not mean truth does not exist. Nor does it mean all interpretations are equally valid. It simply means that human access to truth is limited. Wisdom in my opinion, begins when we recognize the difference between: "This is true." and "This is how I understand the truth." The first claims certainty. The second acknowledges human limitation.
Conclusion
Truth may be experienced, but once it is transmitted, it becomes interpretation. And every interpretation carries the possibility of distortion. Ultimate truth exists beyond perception. Can human beings ever encounter it without first passing through the imperfect lens of their own minds.
AUGUST 2026
