QUESTION 1

Can we really know anything?

This is an important question. Years ago, when the Matrix movies were released, people started talking about what it would be like if we realized nothing around us was real. What would happen if we found out we were all just plugged into a computer program and none of this was really happening? Even though those kinds of movies have not been around for centuries, those kinds of questions about our existence and knowledge have. Some of the world’s greatest thinkers and philosophers have pondered the question

Can I really know anything?

We certainly won’t be able to summarize all of their thoughts in a few paragraphs, but here is something to think about. We generally speak about knowledge in two different ways. Either we mention subjective knowledge (dependent on the subject) or objective knowledge (inherent in the object). My subjective knowledge is affected by my experiences, preferences, and opinions. I might say, “Broccoli is gross,” but that is a subjective statement. It is not true for everyone. You might like broccoli. If I take a plate of broccoli and drop it on the ground, I have displayed gravity, which is an objective reality. Gravity works for all of us, and our beliefs have no bearing on it. I can choose not to believe in gravity, and it will still exist. That is because it is an objective reality, not a subjective one. 

No matter how easy it is for us to overlook it, our culture does recognize objective truth. There are some things that are objectively good and objectively bad, no matter what someone’s opinion might be. We base our lives on things we believe we can know. In fact, if you don’t believe it is possible to objectively know anything, how do you know that? Even if you are still unsure of this question, why not continue reading and see what you think when you are done looking through this “Faith Map.” We think you will be glad you did.