Not necessarily. While for every person “truth” and “understanding” have require different thought processes in objective reality, the subjective feeling for everyone is similar enough for them to be considered universal values that most people at least desire. This works best if “truth” and “understanding” are considered states of mind that everyone has subjective triggers for, because it allows for an objective reality of “truth” and “understanding”, while preserving the notion of subjective definitions and requirements.
While everyone therefore desires truth and understanding, they may not seek it because those concepts aren’t considered necessary or connected for other desirable things. I may have misunderstood the OP’s dilemma- was he disturbed by the idea that people don’t value truth and understanding?
True. Would “desires” be more appropriate than “seek”?
The point was that we are using the same name to refer to different things.
Not necessarily. While for every person “truth” and “understanding” have require different thought processes in objective reality, the subjective feeling for everyone is similar enough for them to be considered universal values that most people at least desire. This works best if “truth” and “understanding” are considered states of mind that everyone has subjective triggers for, because it allows for an objective reality of “truth” and “understanding”, while preserving the notion of subjective definitions and requirements.
While everyone therefore desires truth and understanding, they may not seek it because those concepts aren’t considered necessary or connected for other desirable things. I may have misunderstood the OP’s dilemma- was he disturbed by the idea that people don’t value truth and understanding?
Value those things intrinsically or value them instrumentally?
Intrinsically. It may just be that they’re not seeking it at the moment.
I don’t know anyone who claims to have found Zen enlightenment and been dissatisfied with it; perhaps it is theoretically impossible to do so.
But I do know people who are perfectly happy with half-truths and partial ignorance.
That isn’t an inconsistency if people can have more than one intrinsic value.
EDIT: Ahh, I’m not sure I follow what you wrote there.
I meant ’Perhaps it is impossible to find Zen enlightenment without being the kind of person that would be happy with that.
I don’t know how to evaluate people who have multiple intrinsic values but seek stability where fewer than all of them are reached.