Between truth and reality: An ontological and epistemological examination of humanity's existential journey

ABSTRACT BETWEEN TRUTH AND REALİTY: AN ONTOLOGİCAL AND EPİSTEMOLOGİCAL EXAMİNATİON OF HUMANİTY'S EXİSTENTİAL JOURNEY Nurettin ÜRER Düzce University Graduate School of Social Sciences, Department of Basic Islamic Sciences Master's Thesis Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Musa KAVAL October 2025, 129 pages The concepts of truth and reality occupy a central place among the most ancient questions of human history; they serve as fundamental reference points in the quest for existence, knowledge, and meaning. This study aims to trace the footprints of truth within humanity's innate and existential journey, engaging not only in philosophical inquiry but also conducting an in-depth analysis across metaphysical, religious, and cultural dimensions. It examines the transformations experienced by the concepts of truth and reality from Plato's realm of ideas to Sufi mystical knowledge, from the boundaries of modern reason to the pluralistic understanding of truth in postmodernism. The study investigates how the conceptual foundations of these terms have been shaped within historical, epistemological, and ontological contexts, and how they are reinterpreted in light of the new reality perceptions brought about by the digital age. In this context, the thesis emphasizes that humanity's pursuit of truth is not solely a theoretical endeavor but also an ethical, spiritual, and existential journey. It highlights that this journey finds its meaning at the intersection of divine will and individual effort. Key Words: Sufizm, Truth, Reality, Knowledge, Reality.