Alyssa Fidelis B.

Espiritu Ethics
BSED Math Mr. Christian Casildo

REFLECTION PAPER ON SOPHISTRY AND PHILO-SOPHY

Having knowledge about a certain idea doesn’t automatically mean that you know the
whole truth of the said idea even if you are a professional or an expert of such. What you
know and have grasped is only a partial truth because it is like a puzzle wherein its pieces are
scattered everywhere and you have to search for it.

I used to be the kind of person who tries to persuade other people by expressing what
I think is right and true. Most of the time, I don’t listen to their own thoughts and opinions
because like the sophists, what I know is what I believe to be the truth. That was also a reason
why I liked to teach other people because a feeling of superiority rushes to me every time I
do. But after reading the article, I knew then that I had the wrong reason to teach. We all hold
the truth and knowledge although some could hardly express themselves through dialogues.
For example, teachers educate their students but it should not be limited to that because
teachers can also learn from their students, making it a two-way process. Truth, therefore, is
something that lies beyond a single being because it is “our” truth and not “my” truth.
Conflicts arise because one wishes to be the one and only absolute truth.

To attain truth, we are guided by our conscience. This voice tells us what we have to
refrain from doing but never what we have to do. It is the same as chasing the truth of God. I
listen to my conscience when I decide on things but there are times when I become
impulsive, making huge mistakes. We need to be obedient and follow the voice because that
is a way of obtaining truth. Another thing to consider is to make our words proportion to our
actions to show consistency because if not, it’s just pure vacuousness. In today’s time,
political advertising is the most known example of this.

What makes other people so eager to obtain truth is its importance to them. That is
why some of us don’t seem interested on the other aspects because they are merely focused
on the truths that affect them more. Just like the researchers, they search answers for specific
questions they have in mind.

Truth should be treated not as something that is manipulable, but a goal that lies
beyond. Truth, I think, is something unattainable because there are boundaries and limitations
of human thinking and knowing such as language and perspectival limitation but there’s also
hope to be in the truth so we must continuously seek for it because it guides us to live our life
the right way and it also makes our life more meaningful. Let us not be afraid to express our
thoughts because our willingness to communicate with other people is the first step in finding
the truth. Don’t be a sophist, instead, acknowledge and respect your partner’s words.