The denial of truth requirements a statement of truth, the very thing that
such a denial rejects. Oscar Wilde, in “The Picture of Dorian Gray,”
claimed:
- I never approve, or disapprove, of anything now. It is an absurd attitude to take towards life. We are not sent into the world to air our moral prejudices. I never take any notice of what common people say, and I never interfere with what charming people do. If a personality fascinates me, whatever mode of expression that personality selects is absolutely delightful to me.”
These thoughts might be appealing but also poisonous. Wilde claimed that it
is absurd to approve or disapprove of anything. However, in itself, this
statement approves. I therefore would have liked to ask him, “Aren’t you now
approving of not approving?”
Wilde didn’t like the idea that there might be definitive answers. Such
answers judge and point out our failings and mistakes. However, we cannot say
that there are no definitive answers. To say this is to give a definitive
answer.
Nor can we fall back to the defensive position that "we cannot trust
logic." Such a position is logically and evidentially unsupportable and puts the
kibosh on all learning - life itself.
To illustrate this point, we can also ask, "Did you come to this conclusion
using reason and evidence?" Of course, neither could ever lead to such a
conclusion.
It is like a computer telling the software, "Go away. I don't need you."
Besides, to reject statements of truth is to narrow and flatten our lives,
reducing us to an animalistic, pleasure seeking existence. This rejection of
truth is like trying to drive a car blindfolded.
BTW, Wilde later converted to Catholicism and repudiated many of his writings.
BTW, Wilde later converted to Catholicism and repudiated many of his writings.
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