What’s the truth about the truth? Words Count! What’s the truth about the truth?

Words Count truth opinion fact belief It is important to choose our words correctly and accurately.

Critical Thinking Truth Is something “true” because we think it is? Can something be true at one time and not true at another time? Can something be true for one person and not true for another? Answer to all of the above is “no.” Things that are = truth. Use Copernicus as an example for these questions. Natural world and math also work as examples. Perception is not always true, but reality is always true.

Defining Truth Truth is what is. If something is “true,” it is true for all people and for all times. Truth is universal, it does not change, it is not relative.

A Clarification about Truth Objective absolute self-evident certain immutable Subjective reasonably dependable; pending further investigation we act as if it is true Think of science and math for objective truths. Think of a call in a baseball game as subjective truth.

Opinions An opinion is a judgment that lacks certainty. We usually act on it as if it were true. Right Opinions Wrong Opinions An opinion’s rightness or wrongness depends upon how much evidence is available to support it or refute it.

Facts A fact is a truth that is supported by observation, data, or other evidence. Are all facts true? Are all truths facts? A Venn Diagram works here: truth is the big circle and facts is a little circle within. Can you arrive at a truth w/o the use of facts? Yes. Syllogism: 1) all girls have red hair, 2) Casey is a girl, 3) Casey has red hair. This is true but not factual. We can arrive at truths based upon reason and logic.

Belief A conviction in something as true or right without positive knowledge or proof. (A personal position that allows a person to practice a better life.) Why would we take something to be true if there is no evidence? Faith vs. Reason If you work hard, you will succeed. This is a belief, not a truth. It gives us encouragement/motivation and is good for society/self. By saying it’s a belief/faith, you’re saying, “I don’t have an argument.” From Fowles: “We may reject [other philosophies] as we might reject certain houses to live in; we cannot reject them as houses for anyone else to live in, we cannot deny them utility in part, beauty in part, meaningfulness in part.” (102)