We will probably have to agree that to speak of the 'bare truth' is a tautology, since truth is always the laying bare of something before us. But this metaphor can contribute absolutely nothing to the notion of 'truth'; in a very complex way it projects assumptions and evaluations beyond the concept. The metaphor is very closely related to the interpretation and meaning of clothing as a garment or as a disguise. Against them, accordingly, nudity also stands out: when some deception, some disguise shines, or when something obscene is revealed, or some mystery is revealed. In its cloak, truth can have its 'culture', just as man's cultural history is essentially identical with his clothing, for he is a clothed being who refuses to reveal himself precisely in his 'naturalness'. Must the truth - in so far as it can even be thought of as truth for man by virtue of some 'conformity' with him - in its 'natural' openness and intrusiveness also be intolerable to a 'clothed' being? Perhaps what I mean will be made clear by an aggressive aphorism from Franz Werfel's Theologumena:

The naked truth, 'nuda veritas', is the lecherous bride of the barbarian. Culture begins precisely with the fact that something had to be hidden, that is, with the awareness of original sin (Adam's fig leaf is the first document of culture). However, the return to barbarism begins precisely with the fact that man again begins to reveal the hidden, i.e. with psychology. [...]

The attitude to truth in our tradition turns out to be far more ambiguous when it is mediated by metaphor than if it is subjected to terminological-systematic analysis. In the tradition of skepticism there has certainly been gathered everything that might make us doubt and despair whether the truth, or even a part of it, will ever be mastered, and the satisfaction ... of rejecting the theoretical claim seems to be preferable before the pursuit of the impossible. But whether truth, thought of as hypothetically attainable, can actually constitute or exhaust man's happiness is again a theoretically undecidable, leading into the void question that has arrived at answers only through metaphors. Hans Blumenberg - "Paradigms to a Metaphorology"

talk about it more

Question

We will probably have to agree that to speak of the 'bare truth' is a tautology, since truth is always the laying bare of something before us. But this metaphor can contribute absolutely nothing to the notion of 'truth'; in a very complex way it projects assumptions and evaluations beyond the concept. The metaphor is very closely related to the interpretation and meaning of clothing as a garment or as a disguise. Against them, accordingly, nudity also stands out: when some deception, some disguise shines, or when something obscene is revealed, or some mystery is revealed. In its cloak, truth can have its 'culture', just as man's cultural history is essentially identical with his clothing, for he is a clothed being who refuses to reveal himself precisely in his 'naturalness'. Must the truth - in so far as it can even be thought of as truth for man by virtue of some 'conformity' with him - in its 'natural' openness and intrusiveness also be intolerable to a 'clothed' being? Perhaps what I mean will be made clear by an aggressive aphorism from Franz Werfel's Theologumena:

The naked truth, 'nuda veritas', is the lecherous bride of the barbarian. Culture begins precisely with the fact that something had to be hidden, that is, with the awareness of original sin (Adam's fig leaf is the first document of culture). However, the return to barbarism begins precisely with the fact that man again begins to reveal the hidden, i.e. with psychology. [...]

The attitude to truth in our tradition turns out to be far more ambiguous when it is mediated by metaphor than if it is subjected to terminological-systematic analysis. In the tradition of skepticism there has certainly been gathered everything that might make us doubt and despair whether the truth, or even a part of it, will ever be mastered, and the satisfaction ... of rejecting the theoretical claim seems to be preferable before the pursuit of the impossible. But whether truth, thought of as hypothetically attainable, can actually constitute or exhaust man's happiness is again a theoretically undecidable, leading into the void question that has arrived at answers only through metaphors. Hans Blumenberg - "Paradigms to a Metaphorology"

talk about it more

Ask a Philosopher · Accepted Answer

We must first acknowledge that the concept of the 'bare truth' is, in fact, a tautology. Truth, by its very essence, is the act of laying bare something before us. To speak of the 'bare truth' is redundant, as truth itself necessitates the act of unveiling. However, it is important to recognize that this metaphor of 'bare truth' does not contribute anything substantial to our understanding of truth. Instead, it projects assumptions and evaluations beyond the confines of the concept, thus obscuring the true nature of truth itself.

This metaphor of 'bare truth' is closely intertwined with the interpretation and significance of clothing, whether as a symbol of concealment or as a form of disguise. Thus, nudity emerges as a contrasting concept, embodying deception, obscenity, revelation, and mystery. Just as clothing is integral to man's cultural history, the truth, too, can be seen as clothed, encompassing its own 'culture'. Man, being a clothed being, rejects the notion of revealing himself in his pure 'naturalness'. Therefore, we inquire whether truth, in its natural openness and intrusiveness, be tolerable to a 'clothed' being. Is it possible for truth, when stripped of its metaphorical clothing, to coexist with the clothed existence of human beings?

Allow me to illustrate this point using an aggressive aphorism from Franz Werfel's Theologumena: "The naked truth, 'nuda veritas', is the lecherous bride of the barbarian." Here, culture is said to originate from the necessity of concealing something, as represented by Adam's fig leaf, which signifies the dawn of our cultural history. However, the return to barbarism is associated with the act of revealing that which was once hidden, exemplified by the field of psychology.

As we delve deeper into our tradition, the attitude toward truth becomes increasingly ambiguous when it is filtered through the lens of metaphor, as opposed to being subjected to terminological-systematic analysis. The tradition of skepticism, for instance, encompasses doubts and despair that cast uncertainty on our ability to ever fully comprehend or attain truth. It appears that, at times, the satisfaction derived from rejecting the theoretical claim of truth seems preferable to the pursuit of the seemingly unattainable. Yet, whether truth, even hypothetically attainable, can truly fulfill and encompass human happiness remains an undecidable question that has found answers solely through metaphors.

In the realms of philosophy and metaphorology, this issue persists, offering no definitive resolution or concrete understanding. It is a question that perpetually leads us towards the abyss of speculation. Thus, it is through metaphors and their intricate interplay with truth that some semblance of comprehension is achieved. Hans Blumenberg's work on "Paradigms to a Metaphorology" demonstrates just how entrenched this ambiguity is within our intellectual and philosophical traditions.

In conclusion, the intricate relationship between truth, the metaphor of 'bare truth', and the concept of clothing exposes the multifaceted nature of our understanding of truth. Whether truth can coexist with the clothed existence of human beings, and whether it can ever lead to true happiness, remain unanswered questions that have been explored through metaphor and analogy. Perhaps, it is within these creative and metaphorical explorations that some insights into the elusive nature of truth may emerge.