The Correspondence Theory of Truth

What is the truth? Some say it starts with a proposition that is uniquely understood as the basis of belief. Given its content as it unfolds, we consider the bearer of the proposition, the attitudes, and the reality where the proposition is alluded to. But how can we be sure that the ones presented were the truthful ones? The experts would agree that propositions can be false when the truth that is being alluded to does not conform to the reality of the facts.

Jorge and Lyca have set this on their mind. A belief is considered true only when it corresponds to a fact.

The two officers arrived at Dr. Molina's office and found the doctor slumped on his chair.

The place was ransacked, and papers of all sorts were on the floor.

Dr. Molina cried in his utter despair. Pointing at the pile of torn papers, "Oh dear...look what they did to my records!"

Lyca walked around slowly, trying not to step on the scattered items.

Jorge asked the doctor. "No one touched anything here?"

"No, I asked my assistant not to touch anything when she reported it to me."

Jorge examined the surroundings. The furniture was in disarray, and some of the apparatus were damaged and clearly beyond repair. There were broken bottles and spilled medicines on the sink.

"Who's here when it happened?"

"Anita, my assistant. She's outside, and you can interview her now if you want."

Doctor Molina called his assistant, and a burly older woman in a nurse uniform came in.

Jorge asked the assistant. "Anita, can you tell us what happened?" Anita held her chest, her hands trembled, and one can sense she was still gripped by fear.

"Five men barged in. They wore fatigue uniforms and bonnets on their faces, and they announced they were from headquarters. They were looking for Dr. Molina, but he was not here. I told them to come back, but they said they have a warrant. 'Warrant for?' I asked. They said to sequester everything. I read the paper, and it looks legitimate, and they just entered one by one. They were big bulky men. One of the men said, "we are looking for Colonel Riva's files; where is it?" I was so afraid, so I just pointed to the cabinet where all the files were. Then they ransacked the place. They took the hard drive of the computers. They look for other files, medicines, and solutions. They were looking for a clear fluid...it's called….um... called ether and some element …. I don't even know what that is. But they seemed to have found it in the cabinet. Everything they can carry, they took out from this room. "

"You still got the warrant?"

"No, they took it back from me. I said I wanted a copy, but they did not hear my plea," Anita cried.

Lyca looked inside the cabinet.

"Looks like there's some spilled liquid in here. Jorge, you want me to sample them?"

Jorge knew it was something interesting. "Yes, and have it analyzed at the lab at once."

Jorge unfolded his notebook and began to ask some questions to Dr. Molina.

"This is some extraordinary burglary Doctor Molina."

"It is. And who could have done such a thing?" Doctor Molina asked.

"Do you have any suspects?"

"After I asked the HQ and they said they did not send any men, I cannot think of anyone."

"Why would they look for Colonel Riva's record?" Lyca asked.

Doctor Molina shrugged his shoulder. "How I wish I can tell you an answer right now."

"You said you weren't here yesterday. Where were you when it happened?"

"I am at the headquarter. I submitted a report to the committee."

"Uh... traveling 50 miles north concerning the submission of a report is surely a fundamental matter."

"Yes, it is."

"This report concerns Colonel Riva?"

Doctor Molina fell silent. The doctor-patient relationship will be divulged, and he is not ready to give in.

"I am sorry. My patient's name is confidential."

"We know about it, Doctor Molina. The Colonel had a record of forced medical leave by the top, and we figured he's going to your office for his treatment. Did you provide him with the clearance?"

Doctor Molina did not answer the question directly, but his reply was satisfying enough. "The purpose of my trip to the HQ is to report the progress of Colonel Riva's medical condition."

"And did you give him the clearance?"

It took a while before Doctor Molina made an answer. "No."

Jorge and Lyca looked at each other. The absence of Colonel Riva was a secret. The precinct 'Don't ask, Don't Tell' policy protected him from any staff's direct inquiry.

"Why? I heard he's with you for quite a long time."

"He is under treatment still."

"Why do you think the people who took the files and everything in here suddenly had an interest in the colonel's medical record?" Jorge asked.

Doctor Molina took a heave of a sigh. He shrugged his shoulder. "I got no idea. But his record is confidential."

Lyca moved forward. Hearing the word, confidential suddenly aroused her interest. "What exactly is restricted from among the files?"

It took a while before Doctor Molina replied, "Everything."

Lyca heard some slight static in her ears. It reminded her of something. She is familiar with it because it is part of her expertise to look for it. She looked around, up, down, and every nook and cranny.

"What is it?" Jorge asked. Lyca put her finger on her lips, signaling everyone not to talk.

She moved beside Doctor Molina's table. She frisked under his table and was able to feel something. Lyca pulled a small black 'earphone-like-device' taped under Doctor Molina's table.

It's a listening device. She looked for an empty cup, put some water on it, and soaked the listening device inside.

"F_ck! We are bugged! " Lyca buzzed on Jorge's ear. She clenched her teeth in anger.

Doctor Molina was alarmed. "Whoever planted it heard what we just talked about."

Jorge is more worried by other thoughts.

"Must have been there all along," Jorge said. "They heard every conversation you made with your patient. So much for that confidentiality. I believe whatever it is you find on Colonel Riva...must have started this thing. " He exhaled a few times. "We can only guess....this might be a precursor... to something far worse coming our way."

Lyca crossed her arms and questioned the doctor's intention to protect Colonel Riva.

"I don't care how f_cked the colonel is inside his mind, but you called us for help. Unless you give us details of your conversation with the colonel, this investigation will go nowhere."

Doctor Molina felt he was pushed to the wall. But they were right. Sometimes, the thin line between doctor-patient relations is crossed to extract the details of what is considered truth. But the question is not about the facts that will be laid down. But are they ready?

Some time ago, a man climbed atop a tall building and challenged everyone who witnessed him that he would not die if he fell 100 meters below. Of course, everyone that witnessed his stupid act shouted at him to reconsider his decision. Police and rescue teams were called in. But the man seemed to sit there all afternoon. Some people jeered at him and told him he is a coward. Why wait? Why not just jump in an instant so he could die the soonest. What follows is that he waited for the dark to come in, and when dusk set in, he positioned himself to jump. Many people watched him perform his so-called "acrobatic act," and before the dark set in, he jumped 100 meters below.

Everyone saw how he fell. People waited. But nobody was found moments later down below. The police and rescue team scratched their heads. Whatever did happen that day is probably just an illusion, and they settled for it as the only logical answer rather than accept the fact that the man disappeared before their eyes.

They said the mind is a dark place in itself to dwell on. And the correspondence theory of truth will be tested when you look for it. Clearly, not to test the limits of where the truth lies but to test the sanity of those who challenge bravely every presented proposition. Jorge and Lyca seemed ready to dwell on that dark place they consider for themselves as truth.