This is http://www.essayz.com/b0301301.htm Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words. {Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.} ========================================================== %CULTURE RELIGION RACE SEXUAL TRANSCENDENT TRUTHS+030130 %GENDER DISCRIMINATION POLITICAL ECONOMIC ABSOLUTE+030130 %BIAS PREJUDICE AUTHORITARIANS POWER CONFLICTS GOD+030130 %GLOBAL WORLD WIDE RESPECT HONOR PARADIGMS USAGE+030130 %EVIDENCE EXPERIENCE UTILITY AGREEMENT HONOR BELIEF+030130 %SCIENCE MATHEMATICS ASTRONOMY PHYSICS CHEMISTRY 030130 What truths are there that humans have articulated which are respected and used effectively by people from a wide range of: cultures, religious traditions, political backgrounds, economic systems, races, etc? Within the followers most all respected religious traditions there have been many conflicts and wars over presumed "truths" --- at the cost of untold millions of lives. There have been additional conflicts over what is presumably "true" between the followers of different religious traditions. None of the religious leaders have succeeded in bringing their disciples together in civil ways which have transcended arguments over what is true. There have been similar conflicts over the features of different cultures, political systems, economic systems, races, etc. The kinds of truths which have gained the most transcendent levels of acceptance across diverse cultures, religions, political systems, economic systems and races --- are those associated with arithmetic, algebra, geometry, measurements, astronomy, calculus, physics, chemistry and biology; with spill-over conflicts from religious circles in regards to the evolution of our solar system and us humans within the context of the evolution of the whole cosmos and humans within "Spaceship Earth". The realms of agreement have to do with counting, geometry, abstract representations of and manipulations of numeric and geometric relationships, and the motions of objects within time and space. The borderline area is biology which deals in-part with understanding human bodies and physical relationships; e.g., sexual relationships which are the "hot" topic. Consensus comes with difficulty when the focus moves to human: evolution, intimate relationships, beliefs, convictions, perceptions, desires, intentions, plans, hopes, aspirations, etc. i.e., We disagree over reflexive relationships far more than over objective/numerical relationships. Humans have a difficult time agreeing upon truths which often "reflect-back-upon-themselves-and-their-own- relationships." When experiments reflect back upon the experimenters it is hard to transcend human: biases, prejudices, preconceptions, traditions, and special- interests-in-maintaining-the-comfortable-status-quo but all at-the-expense-of-others. Territorial instincts which are rooted in ancient evolutionary chains of development are hard to transcend even among the "most advanced" of mortal creatures! What can be learned from the successes where truths have transcended many kinds of human differences? 1. Honesty about what has happened is essential. 2. Truth is sought for its own sake, not for gain. 3. Creativity & imagination are rewarded, not punished. 4. Communication rights are valued and protected. 5. No one claims an absolute truth immune to change. 6. Wherever possible observations entail making objective measurements and quantitative comparisons. 7. Much attention is given to objective observations which entail the use of sight, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling --- with efforts made to compensate for recognizable/misled sense- organs which are victims of injury, disease and illusions --- as in nearsightedness, far-sightedness, astigmatism, optical-illusions, color-blindness, deafness, etc. 8. An effort is made to gather together for comparison all kinds of reports regarding a particular phenomena; rather than focusing upon trying to find one very good example of a phenomena. 9. People have been willing to try new ways of experimenting with relationships; rather than determined to maintain old traditions regarding relationships. 10. The focus has been upon civility, courtesy, cooperation, integration, and the development of sweet- fruits; rather than upon the authentification of ancient truths and traditions. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================