One of the fundamental questions that humans since the dawn of time have asked themselves is why are we here?, or how are we here?, how did all this happen to be?
Philosophers try to answer these questions. Scientists try to determine the natural laws and how the physical world is as it is, Religions have their own ideas as to answers to these questions.
With the premise that there is knowledge of the absolute truth.
What are we gonna do if we gain that knowledge. Where do we go from there?
You ask:
Where do we go if we gain knowledge of the absolute truth?
Well, you are starting your philosophical career in the right place, among philosophers, so Philosophy StackExchange is a good start. If you really take it seriously, you have two options: a university or a library. The advantage of a university is that there are professional philosophers and intellectuals who can get you started, and the advantage of a library is there are no tests and admission is free!
The question you ask is an epistemological question because it is concerned with 'truth' and 'knowledge'. Epistemologists, one prominent example being Robert Audi, spend their adult lives asking and answering these sorts of questions. They build up their personal library of thinking to address questions such as yours. You get to meet these people at universities, and again that's a plus for the ivory tower.
I'm not sure that 'absolute truth' is a defensible idea. People often use the phrase, and it might be read as the truth of an absolutist. From WP:
In philosophy, universality or absolutism is the idea that universal facts exist and can be progressively discovered, as opposed to relativism, which asserts that all facts are relative to one's perspective. Absolutism and relativism have been explored at length in contemporary analytic philosophy.
If this is what you mean by absolute truth, then there are two popular contemporary sources: fundamentalist religion which tends to promote their religious doctrine as absolute truths as divinely revealed by God or gods depending on their flavor, and scientism, which in a strong form is fundamentalist about the application of the scientific method. (There are weaker forms of scientism which are comfortable with relativity of various forms, for instance anti-realist thinkers who label themselves instrumentalists).
Of course, there are also certain people who are philosophically inflexible who tend to consider themselves the sole font of absolute truth, and you'll certainly run across them (even in this forum)! So, before you find this magical place that deals in "absolute truths", figure out exactly what you mean by 'absolute truth', and reflect on whether truths are absolute at all, or whether you're willing to make room for a little relativism in your thinking.
Good luck!
There's an old Buddhist parable that applies here:
Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water.
After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water.
Grasping absolute truth (the Western analog of enlightenment) changes your attitude and your capabilities. It doesn't change your intrinsic nature, but merely reveals it. You'll still have to eat, earn a living, clean your house, pay your taxes… C'est la vie!
Nothing in the world changes from higher understanding. What changes is the relationship we hold to the world-as-it-is.
Unfortunately you do not tell us what you consider the characteristics of “the absolute truth”. Hence I answer your question under the assumption
to consider an absolute truth to be a proposition with an ultimate justification (German: “letztbegründet”).
Examples of such such propositions are mathemathical propositions which have been proven within a mathematical theory.
If we attain absolute knowledge, then it will change our belief system, it will affect how we interact with each other. For many people absolute knowledge has already been achieved. For example- Religions offers absolute knowledge. Religion changes the mindset of individuals. Religion offers many rituals and practices for salvation.
Science also offers absolute knowledge. For example - speed of light is constant irrespective of who measures it. Science offers new technology. Even if understand everything ,there will be new technological innovations every year for many years to come.
Absolute knowledge is not the end of the road. There are many ways to apply that knowledge in our daily lives thus transforming us into a subjectively better person.
There are many absolute truths: There are no round squares. There are no square circles. All bachelors are unmarried.
Knowledge of these absolute truths has not had a profound influence on my life.
In the sciences, uncertainty is the killer of absolute truths and since uncertainty is prevalent (the Uncertainty principle), science will not claim any absolute truths.
Where do we go if we gain knowledge of the absolute truth?
The answer is: You are a human. You cannot gain absolute truth. You would go insane, or your head would explode. Something created this world. It's beautiful. Why do you need to know more. Just enjoy it.
"Phaedrus's philosophical investigations eventually caused him to become insane, and he was subjected to electroconvulsive therapy, which permanently changed his personality."
