What do we do about truth in ToK? Theories of Truth What do we do about truth in ToK? What is Truth? We think it is what valid reasoning preserves. It is the goal of scientific inquiry, historical research, and even a business audit. There are three main theories of truth: correspondance, Coherence, and Pragmatic.

Correspondence Theory Correspondence definition: a close similarity, connection, or equivalence. A statement is true if it corresponds to a fact. One reality= One truth Exp. It is sunny outside. The grass is green. Driving force behind the 17th century scientific revolution. This is a going and looking truth theory.there is one truth for both science and religion. The examples are truths if that is how it exists. If you look outside, is it sunny, is the grass green?

Correspondence Theory Plato First discussed in vague form. Plato felt that since there is a God/higher power. That higher power knows everything/truths so the truths must be out there; like a catalog of truths.

Correspondence Theory Aristotle Also discussed in vague form in his work metaphysics.

Correspondence Theory Einstein Einstein said that “the Lord God is subtle but not malicious” He felt that the laws of the universe are difficult to find but not impossilbe; nature is knowable.

But……… Problems with Facts: too general at times Correspondence is never perfect. Truth cannot be determined in isolation. Do you really want to generalize claims such as” All metals expand when heated”? The truth described can never match up to the truth experienced (think back to the pip) You cannot isolate one truth from other truths

How might the following propositions be said to correspond to facts about reality? Any problems with them? That cat is on the mat. All metals expand when heated. Pigs do not have wings. Archduke Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated in August 1914. Random torture is wrong. The Mona Lisa is a beautiful painting.

Coherence Theory Coherence definition: The quality of forming a unified whole. A proposition is true if it fits in with our overall set of beliefs. There has to be logical consistency. It helps to show how we arrive our knowledge Exp: The drunk driver says, “There are pink elephants dancing on the road in front of us.” This is a sitting and thinking theory. Proposiotion: a statement to be proved or discussed. Have students talk out their reason of why this is not a truth via the coherance theory.

Coherence Theory Immanuel Kant Kant believed that the world is only knowable through the mind and percieved regularities that we note are do to the mind itself. We can never be sure that perception and reality are concurrent. Immanuel Kant

Well….. While Coherence my be a necessary condition for truth, it is not sufficient. Exp: Fiction (its coherent, but not true). Coherence cannot exclude crazy beliefs. It can lead to intellectual laziness. Shakespeare’s Richard III, and JFK One tends to reject anything that does not fit into one’s way of looking at things. Just b/c it doesn’t fit in doesn’t mean its false.

Devise Absurd but coherent explanations for each. The movement of the sun across the sky Insomnia The price of stocks and shares The assassination of John F Kennedy Global warming The variety of species on the planet.

Pragmatic Theory Pragmatic definition: dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations. If the proposition works in practice then it is true. Is it useful to believe in the truth then it is true. Exp: believing in a diety. If religious faith is useful to you, then it is true.

Pragmatic Theory William James Condsidered to be one of the founders of pragmatic theory. He said,:an idea is true so long as to believe it is profitable to our lives”. William James

Oh Darn, not again…. A statement can be useful but not true AND True but not useful Two contradictory beliefs could both be true (look at religion) Useful and “works in practice: are too vague to give us a workable theory of truth Could usefulness be more of a consequence of truth rather then a criterion? Hello Hitler and Nazi Germany. Racist beliefs were useful if they matched Hitlers beliefs but they are not true. Newtons laws are useful but most physicists will tell you they are not strictly speaking true (they only approximate to Einstein’s theory of relativity) Abstract level mathematics, trivia questions, etc… I am so awesome at everything might make me feel better in the now, but in the long run my sense of awesomeness wont help

Let’s play a game! You tell me if the examples are: True and useful True but NOT useful Useful but NOT true NOT useful and NOT true

Ready Go! John Lennon’s first girlfriend was called Thelma Pickles You should never talk to strangers. 2+2=4 We are fighting a just war and have God on our side. Human beings have free-will Santa Claus is watching you to see if you are good or bad

How will I ever know the Truth? Don’t worry! Use Justified True Belief! Truth: Is it beyond reasonable doubt? Belief: you need to believe in your truth Justified: You must be able to justify your belief or truth and it must be of the right kind (i.e. your WoKs). It also needs to be in the right context. There is always some uncertainty in knowledge. We are not going to spend our lives wandering the streets on a quest for truth and knowledge like Socrates. I saw it, someone told me, I worked it out, its intuitively obivious, etc… What you saw with your eyes goes over much better then when you use telepathy Talking with friends vs. a court of law.

Belief knowledge-continuum Human beings have an immortal soul. If A is bigger than B and B is bigger than C, than A is bigger than C. Murder is wrong. Aliens visited the earth at some time during its history. All metals expand when heated. It is possible to construct a square with the same area as a given circle. Talk about knowledge being on a continuum. -10 impossible -5 unlikely 0 possible 5 probable 10 certain