The truth about certainty

I came across something interesting in a book I was reading recently. In the book there was, apparently, a priestly class which could detect whether a person was lying or telling the truth. Sort of infallible human lie-detectors. The story is, among others, about one of them who realizes that what they actually detect is certainty, not necessarily truth.

At first sight, there did not seem much difference between the two, really. I mean, after all, you ARE certain that what you believe is true, after all. So, exactly what was the difference? The chap in front of you is telling the truth as he knows it, is he not?

The problem, though, arises only when your motive is NOT to assess the truthfulness of the person in front of you BUT to discover the real truth. Assuming always, in these days of 'My truth' and 'Your truth', that there IS something called 'The Truth'. THEN, you have a problem. Yes, the chap in front of you is certain of 'His Truth', to the extent that he may not think he only 'believes' it is true or that it is the truth as 'he knows it' BUT that it is the ONLY truth. But...is it?

Though, I rather think that this is something that actually vexes no human being. We have always placed more of a premium on certainty than on truth. I mean, come on, if you are faced with two guys, one of whom is absolutely confident about what he is saying and the other is all 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand', who do you find the better potential employee, say? Does it even cross your mind that the former could be certain because he is ignorant of the circumstances in which he could be wrong OR that the latter seems unsure because he can see situations where the 'truth' may be different? Of course not! Certainty always wins the day. (THAT is a whole different thing from being decisive, thank you very much! You CAN make decisions under uncertainty, it does not require you to be ignorant of the reasons for uncertainty!)

And, yet, Certainty, more often than not, accompanies ignorance than it does knowledge. After all, the more you know, the more reasons you find to question your previous beliefs. Just think...is it easier to be certain that a man is untrustworthy because he has side-whiskers (Really! THAT was a thing when I was at school!) or that a woman is 'available' because she wears 'revealing' clothing (whatever strikes you as so) OR not? AND knowing more men and women and seeing that clothing or facial fuzz has not much to do with their natures...does that breed certainty?

And, yet, we love leaders who have an aura of infallibility; of certainty. We prefer to adopt their opinions, follow the path they lay out for you...all because THEY seem sure that they are leading you into paradise and you want someone who seems confident that he can take you there.

And, so...the truth IS that Certainty is ALL the Truth that we want in the world!