Can Truth Be Known With Certainty?

             Some skeptics contend they cannot be sure about Christianity’s truth claims because, they assert, truth cannot be known with any certainty. However, when they claim that truth cannot be known with any certainty, they posit certainty.

            They say with all certainty that truth cannot be known with any certainty. So their statement ‘truth cannot be known with any certainty’ is a truth claim that is predicated on certainty.

            J. Warner Wallace of Cold Case Christianity elaborates:¹ [Emphasis Mine]

In this article, we’re offering “Quick Shot” responses to the objection, “You can’t be certain about Christianity because truth cannot be known with any certainty.”

Response #1:

“Are you sure? Are you confident about that statement related to truth? It sounds like you have certainty. But if truth cannot be known with any certainty, then you can’t have certainty that truth can’t be known with certainty. Do you see the problem? As it turns out, all of us are certain about something, even if it’s just that you can’t be certain. But that claim, in and of itself, is self-refuting. It’s important that all of us determine which truth claims what we should trust or distrust. But to claim that nothing can be known or trusted is contradictory and impossible to live out effectively. Can you see why this sort of claim cannot be sustained?”

OR

Response #2:

“What do you mean by certainty? Do you mean “beyond a possible doubt”? If that’s the standard, we would be paralyzed by fear and indecision. Will my car explode when I turn the key today? I can’t be sure beyond a possible doubt. Will my next restaurant meal result in food poisoning? Again, I can’t be certain beyond a possible doubt. We can’t (and don’t) live by that standard, because, if we did, we wouldn’t want to leave our homes. Instead we live by a lower standard known as “beyond a reasonable doubt.” This is also the standard we apply to the most serious criminal trials. If it’s good enough to use in those trials, it’s also good enough for us to use in our daily lives. Do you honestly think truth can’t be known beyond a reasonable doubt? Have you ever applied this standard to the case for God’s existence or the truth of Christianity?”

Endnotes:

¹https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/quick-shot-truth-cannot-be-known-with-any-certainty/, last accessed 31/July/2021.