Module 23: WHAT IS TRUTH? & the Role of Evidence 1

WHAT IS TRUTH? 1: Misconceptions about Truth 2: Definition of Truth 3: Doors to Truth 4: False Standards (Informal Fallacies) 5: Scale of Evidence (Burden of Proof) 6: Tests of Truth (Validation) 7: Zeroing In On the Truth 8: Holy Ghost Revelator of Truth 2

Scale of Evidence Beliefs, Opinions & Judgments Slight Evidence Incontestable Evidence Strong Evidence Places It Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt Places It Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Places It Beyond the Arbitrary Burden of Proof Is Upon Him Who Asserts the Positive (Must Have Evidence) ARBITRARYARBITRARY KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE PossibleProbable Certain Greater Evidence 3

Burden of Proof Is Upon Him Who Asserts the Positive There Is / Was a Mouse In the House and Here Is the Proof! Proof Requires Evidence There is No Evidence of a Non-existent Entity Mouse Droppings There Is a Gremlin In the Room … Prove that There Isn’t! FACT or FICTION 4

1 “To him that believes no proof is necessary, to him that does not believe no proof is possible.” (Ignatius of Loyola) Burden of Proof Is Upon Him Who Asserts the Positive Primacy of Consciousness: Evidence means nothing to “true gremlin believers”. Without supporting evidence such a belief remains but an arbitrary and mystical claim. There Is a Gremlin In the Room … Prove that There Isn’t! FACT or FICTION 5

1 Law of Witnesses “In the Mouth of Two or Three Witnesses Shall Every Word Be Established.” (Deut. 19:15; Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1; D&C 6:28 & D&C 128:3) Public and Private Witnesses of the “Golden Plates” Story 2. The testimony of the eight witnesses to the existence and physical nature of the “golden plates.” 1. The testimony of a tangible book with its literary contents (6604 total verses and 239 total chapters) bears witness to the veracity of the “golden plates.” 3. The testimony of the three witnesses to the existence and spiritual nature of the “golden plates.” 4. The testimony of the Holy Ghost to the veracity of the inspired and heavenly nature of the “golden plates.” FACT or FICTION ADMISSIBLEADMISSIBLE HEARSAYHEARSAY EYEWITNESSESEYEWITNESSES 6

“The testimony of the witnesses would be more credible if some non-members were included that had no dog in the fight so to speak. Martin Harris had a financial interest in the success of the Book of Mormon as he had mortgaged his farm to pay for the printing of the book. Oliver Cowdery was very much involved. The eight witnesses were all Smith's or Whitmer family members. An outside disinterested party would have been more reliable as a witness.” “Although I appreciate your thoughts, to me the bottom line is that there is only one way to get a personal witness, and that is from asking Heavenly Father and receiving an answer from Him through the Holy Ghost. I seriously believe that the actual plates could be on display at the Smithsonian and people would still find some excuse to blow it off. Seeing is not necessarily believing.” Notice that Both Sides Dismiss the Validity of the Witnesses 7

1 Two Doors To the Temple of Truth Observation and Revelation Public and Private Witnesses of the “Golden Plates” Story FACT or FICTION 2. The testimony of the eight witnesses to the existence and physical nature of the “golden plates.” 3. The testimony of the three witnesses to the existence and spiritual nature of the “golden plates.” REVELATION: OBSERVATION: 1. The testimony of a tangible book with its literary contents (6604 total verses and 239 total chapters) bears witness to the veracity of the “golden plates.” 4. The testimony of the Holy Ghost to the veracity of the inspired and heavenly nature of the “golden plates.” 8

PossibleProbable Certain Correspondence Theory of Truth and the Role of Evidence Slight Evidence Incontestable Evidence Strong Evidence Places It Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt Places It Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Places It Beyond the Arbitrary Believe Correctly EXISTENCE OF “Gold Plates” Mouse Droppings WE NEED EVIDENCE THE EQUIVALENT OF OUR ARBITRARYARBITRARY KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE 9

1 Law of Witnesses “In the Mouth of Two or Three Witnesses Shall Every Word Be Established.” (Deut. 19:15; Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1; D&C 6:28 & D&C 128:3) Public and Private Witnesses of the “Resurrection” Story 2. Testimony of Apostles, Mary, 500 Brethren, Numerous others. 1. Resurrected Christ taken into heaven. Evidence … the empty tomb … Historical Record in Bible. 4. Personal testimony or witness of the Holy Ghost to the truth of resurrection. FACT or FICTION ADMISSIBLEADMISSIBLE HEARSAYHEARSAY EYEWITNESSESEYEWITNESSES RESSURECTIONRESSURECTION 3. Testimony of Apostle Paul on road to Damascus. 10

1 … What Is Truth? Truth of Speech (Telling the Truth) Truth of Thought (Knowing the Truth) CORRESPONDENCE THEORY “Truth Is Knowledge of Reality” Reality (Standard of Truth) 2 … Definition of Truth EPISTEMOLOGY (Knowing … x is true) TWO DOORS TO THE TEMPLE OF TRUTH (Science and Religion) Observation (Works of God / Creation) Revelation (Word of God / Scripture) 3 … Doors to Truth 4 … Informal Fallacies (False Standards) God (Appeal to Authority) Feelings (Appeal to Emotions) Popular Opinion (Appeal to Popularity) Expert Opinion (Appeal to Authority) Scriptures (Appeal to Authority) Prophets (Appeal to Authority) 5 … Scale of Evidence (Burden of Proof) PossibleProbable Certain God (Standard Bearer) 11

Questions? 12