Secularism part 1.

Secularism is based on one simple principle. Truth requires proof; proof requires fact. Without fact there is no truth. The secularist lives in a world where there is only fact based truth and opinion. This makes secularism powerful because fact based conceptions of reality are the most accurate conceptions of reality. But it puts secularists at a disadvantage when discussing moral and religions issues because the concepts used in morality and by the religions are not backed up by facts.

Secularism defines truth by the correspondence theory. The correspondence theory of truth claims truth is the word we use to describe the identity of the conception of reality we hold in our minds and reality as it is. But since we can never be certain of this accuracy we can never be certain we know the truth. So in the world of secularism there is no such thing as truth. More accurately there is no such thing as certainty of knowledge.

Now the correspondence theory of truth is the theory of truth used by scientists. They call it the scientific method. Scientists observes reality. They then create hypotheses to explain their observations. They then test these hypotheses by gathering new information, new facts. As more and more facts defend the hypothesis it becomes a theory. The theory will be considered true until facts are discovered which cannot be explained by it.

Because science uses the correspondence theory of truth it is wrong to say science gives us truth. What science gives us the the most accurate description of reality possible. As science gathers more facts its description of reality becomes even more accurate. This is its power and this is why secularists are accepting of it. But people want certainty of knowledge. And that neither secularism or science can give. This is why science and secularism are not universally popular.