(quote from RealReality.org/Real_Faith_and_Reason_Vol_2_-_Scientia.pdf)
Interpretation as a way of knowing
Interpretation by Synthesizing
We think of synthetic diamonds as being fake, but that’s not the real meaning of “synthesize.”
Dictionary.com gives this definition:
to form (a material or abstract entity) by combining parts or elements
Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives the following definition:
: to make (something) by combining different things
: to combine (things) and make something new
: to make (something) from simpler substances through a chemical process
So the real meaning of “synthesize” isn’t to make up stuff or fake something. To synthesize is to combine parts or elements. As such, we could say synthesizing data is “putting two and two together.” As an example, consider these premises. Assume two people are in one room. Assume two more people are in a second room. Now we can put two and two together. Without making up any new information, we can conclude four people are in the two rooms. We’ve synthesized this conclusion without adding to the information in the premises. We added no information beyond the premises into the conclusion. Therefore, the conclusion follows from the premises. If we had added information beyond the premises, our conclusion would be non-sequitur. It wouldn’t follow from the premises. If the premises had been true, the conclusion would have been true.
Synthesis is important since we sometimes have more information than we realize. At these times, we’ll be looking at something and suddenly receive a revelation that we know more than we thought we knew. We had the information all along. When we realized it, true synthesis took place.
However, false synthesis makes up stuff or filters out reality. If we could interpret observation and experience without adding any claims or filtering out any parts of observation, it would be great, but sadly, human minds don’t always work this way.
We’re back to the same problem of worldviews. We each blind ourselves with our worldviews since worldviews automatically filter our experiences and observations. Worldviews include theologies, philosophies, and other impressions we picked up during life. Worldviews generally contain some truth and some fiction. Not only so, but we easily deceive ourselves using our worldviews since what we have in our worldviews seems real to us. Therefore, when we add concepts from our worldviews to reality, we don’t feel like we’re making up stuff. In other words, we unconsciously add untrustworthy information from the worldview to our observation and experience. We think we’re synthesizing when we’re making up stuff and thinking the made-up stuff is true. Therefore, we need to sincerely ask God for guidance when synthesizing. We must be open to His correction.
(end quote)
