What determines truth? Is there some set criteria that says that this piece of existence is truth? How can we fully understand what is real or false?

What is truth, first of all? Can it be said that merely by existing, that something is true? What about a lie then? Can a lie be truth? Of course it can. If everyone says that something is true, then it must be true, in relation to human perspective. It is just like good and evil. If something is seen to be good or evil, then it simply is.

So is existence the true validation for truth? Just because something exists doesn’t mean it is true. But for that, we need to know what truth is, which I didn’t fully explain before. Because there are different levels of truth. Who’s to say that the world itself is not true, or beyond that, existence? Is everything an elaborately designed farce? How can something exist if we define existence by what we can sense? Besides, humans aren’t the only ones to say. Different levels of truth may include the "absolute", which is the definite, iron, perpetual existence, the law of the universe so to speak, meaning it cannot be changed. It is simply there. Therefore it exists. And therefore it is true.

There is a problem with this. How can we be sure something "is simply there"? Since it is a human person writing this right now, since history is relative to the human race, since we are the only ones who think about this, then what makes us see the "absolute" truth? If every sentient creature sees truth in different ways, then how can we all agree on one absolute truth? History, reality and truth are all lived, created through life, and living organisms such as us.

Another idea: truth exists outside the sphere of life. Outside existence. Transcendence. Time flows like a river, does it not? Truth would be the stone on the shore that is out of the current of history. It would be the "Pocket of time". It would mean truth is not subject to natural laws, assuming that there ARE natural laws, so then it would mean everything that we live, everything that we see and hear and sense is just a big fat lie, a shadow on the cave wall, to cite an old allegory.

But another theory of truth is "subjective perception", which I touched upon briefly in the third paragraph. There are different ones for this. One may be mankind. We are but a speck of dust in the universe, an insignificant part of existence. And yet we have the power to make truth. By interpreting something variable as the necessary truth, then we create truth. Reality. In this context, reality = truth.

Such is the goal of the Party in the book 1984 by George Orwell. Since they control the necessary means of recording historical events, news, and information, basically, then they can control truth (past, present, future). If they control truth they control reality and history and in essence your very existence. This is only for the mortal plane, though. No human may control the absolute truth, because if there is something like absolute truth, then it would never exist in the eyes of living things because then it wouldn’t be absolute anymore, it would be subjective. This is getting pretty metaphysical and complicated now, and I have an art paper to write, so I’ll stop here.

Truth is relative. If we stop existing then truth stops existing. And in effect, reality stops existing.