The popularization of Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity created a moral adage of “It’s all relative.” However, the grandfather of this concept in a moral outlook, could really be attributed to Immanuel Kant who claimed that all knowledge was subjective.

While it may be the truth, its not necessarily a bad thing.

My philosophy teacher gave me this example to illustrate Kant’s point: To a newborn infant, the rattle shaken in front of his eyes is not a “rattle.” In fact, the blue color from the rattle is disconnected from the sound of the rattle in his mind. It is the organizing principles in his own mind that makes “sense” of this “rhapsody of sensation.”

As Martin J. Verhoeven said:

We think we are observing nature, but what we are observing is our own mind at work. We are the subject and object of our own methodology. Moreover, this mind encompasses the entirety of the universe; there is nothing outside of it, nothing it does not contain.

It doesn’t take too many years of sensory input to turn the “world of sensation” into the “world”. They are linked in our mind so much that they become the same. Science fiction movies, like The Matrix, popularized the concept that they are different.

Now we can understand Kant’s quote:

All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason.

But it is the conclusion of argument that has so many religionists upset. But Phillip Cary (Eastern College) said, “Kant put a limit to reason to make room for faith.”

To some, faith may be a guiding force, and to others may be just the stubble in the sink due to Occam’s razor. Regardless, faith is even more subjective than the inputs from our five primary senses. Sure, we may have a sixth sense (or perhaps many secondary senses) that gives us a basis for our faith, but since these senses are differently developed in each person, it is hardly fair to be use this as a basis of ultimate truth that is then mandated for the rest of humanity.

Colors often have to be added to astronomical images like this one, as the inputs are wavelengths that don’t register with our eyes. These “false color” images are the only way we can see some things.

Many religionists hate the “many paths up the same mountain” parable as they feel that there is only one path, and all others are wrong. Look around! Clearly there are many paths, for we are all on different paths. Will they all lead to the top? No one knows for the top is shrouded in clouds. Is your path better than mine? No one knows that either, for neither of us have completed our paths.

The path I am struggling up is the best for me. I know, for I chose it. If it ends at the base of an impassible cliff, or if I see a better path, I’ll change. I follow the principle ascribed to by Saint Paul to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippines 2:12), and I appreciate not have it dictated to me.

So, if religious truth is like all our other conclusions— subjective, relative, and changeable— how much more important is it to teach tolerance.