We have to live today by what truth we can get today and be

Hear, O seekers of wisdom, the voice of William James, philosopher of the human spirit, who declared: “We have to live today by what truth we can get today and be ready tomorrow to call it falsehood.” These words shine with humility and courage, for they teach us that truth is not always a monument carved in stone, but often a river, flowing and changing as our understanding deepens. Man is not the master of perfect knowledge, but the traveler who gathers light along the way. To cling to yesterday’s truth as though it were eternal may blind us, but to walk with openness—to learn, to unlearn, to grow—is the path of wisdom.

The origin of these words lies in James’s philosophy of pragmatism, a teaching that truth is not an idle abstraction, but a living thing, tested and proven in the fires of experience. He knew that human beings are fallible, that what we call truth today may be overturned by tomorrow’s discovery. Yet he did not despair at this uncertainty. Instead, he urged us to live bravely with the knowledge we have, to act with the light we possess now, while keeping our hearts ready to let go when greater light appears. Thus, he taught us to walk not in arrogance, but in a noble humility that keeps us ever teachable.

History gives us clear witness to this. For centuries, men believed the heavens revolved around the earth, and this was their truth. They built systems of thought, entire philosophies, upon it. Yet when Copernicus and Galileo revealed a greater light, that old truth was shown to be falsehood. Had mankind clung to the older belief with stubborn pride, the progress of knowledge would have been stifled. But because some dared to admit error, the door to modern science was opened, and the universe revealed itself in its vastness. This is James’s wisdom lived out: that we must live today with the truth we know, yet be ready tomorrow to bow to a deeper truth.

Consider also the realm of medicine. Once, men treated fevers by draining blood from the sick, believing this the surest cure. For centuries, this was the accepted wisdom. Yet as time unfolded, new discoveries revealed the error, and better practices arose. Had healers clung blindly to the old ways, countless more lives would have been lost. Here again, the courage to call yesterday’s truth falsehood became the gateway to healing. Thus, humility in knowledge is not weakness, but the very strength that allows humanity to grow.

But James’s words speak not only to science and learning; they also speak to our personal lives. How often do we cling to beliefs about ourselves, about others, about the world, which once seemed true but no longer serve us? A man may believe he is weak, yet discover through trial that he is strong. A people may believe they are destined to remain oppressed, until one day they rise and see freedom as their birthright. In such moments, yesterday’s truth must be cast aside as a chain, and a new truth embraced as a banner. This readiness to change is not betrayal, but the deepest loyalty to life itself.

The lesson, then, is clear: do not worship certainty. Cherish the truths you hold today, but hold them lightly, as tools, not idols. Test them in action, live by them with sincerity, but never let pride forbid you from discarding them when the dawn brings greater light. To live this way is to remain a student forever, and in that humility lies true strength.

In your daily walk, practice this art of openness. Ask yourself often: what truths guide me now? Do they still serve life, justice, and love? If not, have the courage to release them. Listen to others, even when their voices challenge yours, for they may carry tomorrow’s truth. Do not fear being wrong; fear only the pride that keeps you from growing. For as William James has told us, the noblest way to live is to walk in today’s truth while standing ready for tomorrow’s revelation.

So let this wisdom be your shield and your compass: truth is a path, not a possession. Walk it boldly today, but do not fear to change direction when a truer way appears. In this way, you will live not as one trapped in error, but as one forever moving closer to the light.