| Topic: |
Science > Physics |
| User: |
"Lester Zick" |
| Date: |
14 May 2007 11:41:58 AM |
| Object: |
The Fable of the Empiric and the Truth Fairy |
The Fable of the Empiric
and the Truth Fairy
~v~~
Noncewise in the Land of Truth there chanced a guardian Truth Fairy
upon a scholar disheveled and distraught by the side of the path.
"Whence and wherefore comest thou, Stranger?" asked the Truth Fairy.
"From the Land of Psyche" replied the scholar amidst bated breath "to
seek truth".
"Hast thou not truth?" asked the Truth Fairy, incredulous.
"I have none" replied the scholar, arms spread wide.
"Thou canst not enter the Land of Truth without it" answered the Truth
Fairy resolutely.
"I know, I know" muttered the scholar "but I bring gold and jewels to
bestow upon thee in exhange for truth."
"Art thou not a scholar?" asked the Truth Fairy noting a tattered gown
and weighty tome under his arm. "What use hast thou for such?" her
arms crossed, a note of scorn and impatience touching her words.
"I have little use it is true" replied the scholar "yet without truth
I have naught to offer the love of Psyche." Forlorn he continued,
"In ancient times the love of Psyche was won by Eros though forbidden
out of jealousy and envy by Aphrodite. Psyche was commanded to steal
truth from the underworld for her sin and remains unloved ever since."
"But Psyche grows weary anon and has offered her love to whosoever
shall bring her truth."
Whereupon the Truth Fairy relented her scorn
"Art thou of strong faith in thy love of truth, Stranger?"
"I am" confessed the scholar humbly "though I know it not."
"I beseech thee bestow truth upon me that I may win respite for the
love of Psyche" pleaded the scholar.
And moved by the passion of the scholar the Truth Fairy spoke solemnly
"Then I grant thee but one assumption unconjoined to any other".
"But one assumption?" responded the scholar aghast, "but I seek truth
itself! Canst thou not bestow it? Art thou indeed not a Truth Fairy?"
"Of course" replied the Truth Fairy candidly "but not a magic fairy."
"To know truth thou must demonstrate not only faith but also truth."
"But one?" queried the scholar incredulous.
"But one!" replied the Truth Fairy scornfully.
"Thou must prove truth of that one assumption before another."
"But how can that be?" muttered the scholar. Then there came to the
scholar's eyes an unhealthy glint of disingenuity. " But surely with
the power of but one assumption I can make the one assumption of
further assumptions and none will ever know?" he thought to himself.
"But beware!" continued the fairy, "thou canst have but one assumption
lest truth escape thee forever".
"Nonsense!" retorted the scholar irritated at the transparency of his
scheme, "it cannot be done! There must be others!"
"How can there be others if truly true truth thou wouldst know?"
queried the Truth Fairy, "since it is the truth of all or none which
is at stake".
"It is a riddle indeed" continued the Truth Fairy "through which thou
must demonstrate not only truth but thy love of truth as well. Choose
thou wisely."
"And if I choose unwisely?" queried the scholar.
"Then thou mayest choose again" answered the fairy, "but never more
than one assumption alone lest thou abandon truth for assumptions of
truth whose truth thou couldst never know.
"If thou lovest truth begin here."
"Might I not assume others?" recapitulated the frenzied scholar, now
at the very summit of his quest yet beset and riddled with self doubt.
"No!" replied the Truth Fairy "lest thou assume the truth of all thy
assumptions rather than demonstrate the truth of any!"
"And if durst not? continued the scholar.
"Thou hast no other choice" answered the truth fairy "for if thou
canst not demonstrate the truth of but one assumption, to what purpose
is more than one assumption?"
"I know not" confessed the scholar candidly. "Mayhap I shall try each
in turn?" he opined.
"And how would that demonstrate truth at all?" inquired the fairy.
"It would show which worked" answered the scholar.
"But not which couldn't. Wouldst thou know the truth of all or none?"
demanded the fairy.
"I prefer truth be told" confessed the scholar lamely, "any truth".
"Wouldst thou but guess at truth?" retorted the Truth Fairy disgusted.
"Psyche's sin was merely to possess greater beauty than the gods. Thou
defilest the gods with aught but the sloth and turpitude they already
possess in ample measure. For thy duplicity shalt thou be called
'empiric' forever."
"Returnest thou to the Land of Psyche unrequited" intoned the Truth
Fairy with finality and forthwith the Land of Truth vanished.
~v~~
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