Answers That Beg To Be Questioned

The world is divided into two: the realm of subjectivity and the realm of objectivity.The
objective realm is where our rationality and facticity reside. We, as humans, are all thinking beings
and hence, connected in this objective realm by our collective rationality. On the other hand, we
exist as individuals in the subjective realm. In this realm, the world is how the subject perceives it
to be. For instance, if I see a ball, it is what it is because I view it as a ball. During the time of
Socrates, there was a disconnection between the two realms. They appeared to be conicting with
one another. As it seems, there can be no real truths in the subjective sphere. However, Socrates
believed that the truth actually lies within us and we are just yet to discover it. Socrates often
wandered around in Athens asking people questions regarding virtue, beauty, justice, and other
similar concepts. He would go around asking those who think that they know while claiming himself
to be ignorant of the subject. At the end of his conversations though, it turns out that the person
does not really know the subject. They are actually more ignorant than Socrates for not knowing
their own ignorance. But since Socrates claims to not know anything about these subjects, the
conversations always leave the reader in a state of aporia where one is left to think about the
subject without getting any answers. This method of Socrates is what Kierkegaard refers to as the
irony. Through the use of irony, Socrates showed the importance of getting the truth through ones
own critical thinking. The truth here, then, is an outward truth that comes from within, from the
subjective realm and not dictated by the objective realm or the established truths of the world. This
truth is considered the subjective truth, that is the bridge between the subjective and the objective
realm.
This is different from the Sophists relativism wherein one can show that anything is true.
Subjective truth actually leads to the objective truth but it is developed from within ones self and
not the other way around. The subjective truth is the middle ground between the Sophists relativity
and the absoluteness of the Athenians culture and traditions. It does not dismiss the fact that there
are absolute truths that are true for all but it does not naively accept these objective truths as true
in itself. One must come into this conclusion through his own thinking for this truth to be valid.
This is what Kierkegaard learned from Socrates to be able to arrive at a subjective truth
through negation (irony). By knowing what is not, we may be able to learn what is. The application
of Socratic irony is very evident in Kierkegaards ofcial authorship. We should be careful though
as not to confuse Socratic irony with the irony of the German Romantics. They are different in
terms of their scope. The irony of the romantics is an eminent one that rejects or negates
everything objective. In this sense, they are no different from the Sophists of Socrates time that
accepts everything subjective. They are actually equivalent although coming from different
approach. The middle ground, once again, is the Socratic irony, which as Kierkegaard says, is a
controlled irony. It does not reject everything just to undermine them but only those that need
reconstruction. Irony is a destructive tool, hence it must be used with control. Controlled irony, or
Socratic irony, is where one chooses the part of the culture or the generally accepted that is owed
or that needs to be reassessed.
Today, the world we live in is lled with Sophists and Romantics". It is actually very
confusing. The apparent relativism has given birth to an extremely plural world. Today, there are so
many truths that claim to be the objective truth. The plurality of the truths in todays world makes it
difcult for individuals to nd who they really are and where they really belong. In the modern
world, information is just at the tip of ones nger. They are everywhere. Want to know about
something? Google comes to the rescue. Forgot about your appointment? Worry not, put your
schedule in the cloud. Should I bring my umbrella? I dont think its going to rain today., Siri says.
However, information is just processed data. And processing of data goes through a series of
interpretation. And interpretation is a subjective act. However, we posit information as factual and
objective. As a result, we simply accept them as they are. But they are not. And they are to be
taken critically. This is where the irony and the subjective truth comes in. We ought to be critical
with all the truths that present themselves to us. We must remember how Socrates questioned
the long-standing beliefs and traditions of the Athenians. We must realise that the truth should
come from within.
This does not apply only to the sphere of information technology though. It applies to
everything. Churches. Governments. Cultures. Everything is in a state of extreme plurality. We are
on our way towards globalization, towards unity of everyone, and yet everything is plural. If we
continue to accept things as they are and not question them, not negate them, we will get lost. Lost
amidst all the truths. Lost amidst all that we ought to be. Lost amidst all that we should believe
in. Even within ourselves, we can be lost. Amongst all the identities that you have, who are you
really? Are you that deeply philosopher in your Twitter account? Or the wild party-animal in your
Facebook account? Or even the artistic photographer in your Google Plus account? Or are you the
introverted geek in your home? Are you the sum of all these identities, a fraction of these, or none
at all?
But if we do ask these questions yet not be able to answer them in the end. Are we closer
to the truth, the absolute truth, or are we even more lost than we were before? What do you think?
I think the answer lies in the question.