"Is truth hiding somewhere?"
To Noa's question, Ren answered carefully. "The metaphor of 'hiding' already indicates a position."
"What do you mean?"
"Presupposing truth 'exists somewhere.' A realist position."
Noa became interested. "Are there other positions?"
"Constructivism. Truth isn't discovered but constructed."
"Created?"
Ren nodded. "Through language, culture, social agreement."
"So truth is relative?"
"That's relativism. But a dangerous idea."
"Why?" Noa asked.
"If everything is relative, 'the Holocaust was evil' also becomes relative."
Noa became serious. "That's unacceptable."
"That's why theories of truth are important."
Ren drew a diagram in his notebook. "Correspondence theory, coherence theory, pragmatism."
"Three theories?"
"Different definitions of truth. Correspondence theory is propositions matching reality."
"'Snow is white' is true because snow is actually white."
"Yes. But there's a problem."
"What?"
Ren explained. "How do we confirm correspondence with reality?"
"Observation?"
"But observation includes interpretation. The problem of theory-ladenness."
Noa thought. "Seeing is also influenced by thinking?"
"Yes. Pure observation doesn't exist."
"What about coherence theory?"
"Propositions not contradicting other beliefs."
Noa had doubts. "But there are also non-contradictory lies."
"Sharp. That's why coherence theory alone is insufficient."
"Pragmatism?"
Ren answered. "Truth is whether it's useful."
"Utilitarian."
"William James's position. Truth makes practical difference."
Noa objected. "But there are also useful lies."
"Exactly. So no theory is perfect."
"So truth can't be defined?"
Ren said carefully. "Can't be easily defined. But the concept of truth is necessary."
"Why?"
"Without truth, discussion doesn't work."
Noa understood. "We can have dialogue because we aim for truth."
"Yes. As a common goal."
"But an unreachable goal?"
Ren smiled. "The theme of Kant's 'Critique of Pure Reason.'"
"Haven't read it."
"We can't know the thing-in-itself. Only phenomena."
"Phenomena?"
"The world appearing in our perception. The distinction between thing-in-itself and phenomena."
Noa asked. "So truth is on the thing-in-itself side?"
"In a sense. But we can only know phenomena."
"Unreachable truth."
Ren presented another perspective. "But Popper proposed falsifiability."
"Falsifiability?"
"You can't prove a theory is correct, but you can prove it's wrong."
Noa understood. "Approaching truth through elimination."
"Yes. Can't obtain perfect truth, but can approximate."
"Scientific attitude."
"The foundation of philosophy of science."
Noa looked at the window. "Truth isn't hiding but far away?"
"Good metaphor. We walk toward it but can't reach it."
"So despair?"
Ren shook his head. "No, hope."
"Why?"
"Not reaching truth becomes the reason to continue searching."
Noa smiled. "Philosophy's reason for existence."
"Exactly. If all answers were found, philosophy would end."
"But it doesn't end."
"As long as humans keep questioning."
Noa asked. "What about everyday truths? Like 'it's raining today.'"
"That's a kind of truth. But not a deep philosophical problem."
"Why?"
Ren explained. "Because verification is easy. Look at the window."
"Philosophical truths are hard to verify?"
"Yes. 'What is good?' 'What is beauty?' Can't be answered easily."
Noa said quietly. "But it's worth continuing to ask."
"Socrates' 'knowledge of ignorance.'"
"Knowing that you don't know."
"That's the beginning of wisdom."
Ren stood up. "Where is truth hiding. Probably in the questioning."
Noa nodded. "Questioning is the path to truth."
The two began walking. The journey to find truth is an endless journey.