Blaming and Truth-telling, Part 1

Clarifying the Concepts:

A. What is truth?

1. definitions

truth as pragmatic =truth is a matter of whatever works. The problem with this is, "who gets to decide what works and doesn't?" This is a very postmodern analysis of truth, because it implies a power struggle: those with power determine what is true and the powerless have no recourse. It is also postmodern insofar as it is relativistic: because P works for me, P is true for me. But if P doesn't work for you, then it won't be true for you.

b. truth as coherence=truth is a matter of consistency. This became the favorite modernist definition of truth, because when modernism rejected realist metaphysics and made epistemology "first philosophy," it denied any access to what is "really real." Thus the only criteria for truth is that all the beliefs in any given noetic structure "mesh." The problem with this is that insane people can be extremely consistent. Yet in labeling them as insane we are admitting that they have lost touch with reality, with what is true.

c. truth as correspondence=truth is a matter of reflecting what (better, Who!) is real. It is the theory that characterizes premoderns from Plato to Aristotle to Augustine to Thomas Aquinas. To my mind this is the most fundamental and necessary definition. It is also the most controversial, for, as Alisdair MacIntyre has pointed out in his writings, we do not live in a pluralistic society but rather a fragmented society, picking our way among shards of shattered narratives. We no longer have a shared metanarrative to appeal to, and to discover what is real, true and good.

2. objective aspect

This assumes a realist metaphysic; what is real and true and good is not my own product, or socially constructed. Rather, it's the "X-Files" motto, "The truth is out there," implying that it can be known by more than one person; and that in some way I am responsible for understanding and conforming to it. Josef Pieper calls this the product of ratio, or discursive reason.

3. subjective aspect

This refers to the personal meaning that a truth has for an individual and connects to our non-discursive, imaginative and emotional intelligence. This is the product of intellectus, or intuition, according to Pieper. The apostle James was well aware of this aspect when he wrote about demons who accept the objective truth, "God exists," but subjectively, that truth fills them with fear and loathing. (James 2:19).

B. What is blame?

1. definitions:

--reproach, reprove, reprehend, criticize.

--To blame is to hold accountable for, and disapprove because of, some error, mistake, omission, neglect, or the like: Whom do you blame for the disaster?

--guilt, culpability, fault, sin

--to find fault with (a person)

--to consider someone or something responsible for something bad
--an accusation that you are responsible for some lapse or misdeed; "his incrimination was based on my testimony"; "the police laid the blame on the driver"

--a reproach for some lapse or misdeed; "he took the blame for it"; "it was a bum rap"

--put or pin the blame on [ant: absolve]
--harass with constant criticism; "Don't always pick on your little brother"
--attribute responsibility to; "We blamed the accident on her"; "The tragedy was charged to her inexperience"

2. positive aspect

Just as truth has an objective aspect, so does blame. It is sometimes necessary to make a judgement: to establish responsibility for some error, mistake or sin, in order to hold a person accountable. Without accountability, there cannot be forgiveness, restoration, improvement. But it is a tricky thing to find find the "mean" between the extremes of ignorance and harrassment.

3. negative aspect

The connotations for "blame" that we hold are usually negative ones: constant criticism; scapegoating, harassment, being judgemental. Note that difference? It is one thing to make judgements: you can't be human and not do so. As beings made in God's image, we are called upon to speak truthfully. But it is another thing to be judgemental. As beings made in God's image, we are to speak the truth in love: our judgements must be free of all self-righteousness, pride and ungodly anger.

Whew! Now that we've laid this groundwork, let's move on to consider possible interactions people can have.