Although many people profess to believe that there are no absolutes, when challenged, it is clear that deep down they do accept certain absolutes. I was once traveling by plane, and at about 3 a.m. we were served breakfast. As usual, I was served my kosher meal before anyone else received the regular meal. My neighbor looked at my elaborately wrapped tray and said, “Kosher food, huh? Well, I don’t believe in absolute truth!” I replied, “Are you absolutely sure of that?” – a retort that usually makes the other party stop and think for a moment. This time, however, my fellow traveler immediately responded, “Ah, but you are using logic.”
“If I understand you correctly,” I answered, “you are saying that since you do not accept anything as absolutely true, logic is also in doubt. Therefore, I cannot use logic to refute you. Is that your claim?” He confirmed that I was correct in my understanding of his argument. “Well,” I said, “That is quite logical.” At that point he realized that even he does accept certain truths as absolute (such as the validity of certain logical rules) and he quickly ended the conversation.
Judaism is predicated upon the belief that there are absolute truths that are accessible to human beings.
The belief that all truth is relative, however, pervades modern society. As noted scholar and social commentator, Allan Bloom, writes: “There is one thing a professor can be absolutely certain of: Almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative. If this belief is put to the test, one can count on the students’ reaction: They will be uncomprehending. That anyone should regard the proposition as not self-evident astonishes them, as though one were calling into question 2+2=4. These are things you don’t think about.”
A philosophy of pluralism or moral relativism, which denies the existence of absolute truths, is unacceptable to Jewish thought: The Torah has very definite moral pronouncements, imperatives and laws.
