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Debate.

Truth., Subject or objective.
HiTheyCallMejOsh
post Sep 11 2006, 08:37 AM
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I hate to start a new topic since I'm still working on my argument in the infinite time topic (which I will continue, sorry for delaying so long), but I've been having discussions about this topic recently in real life, and I wanted to get it started.

Truth - subjective or objective?
My belief is that it is subjective. I will not deeply get into it right now, until I get some replies and possible rebuttals (err..make that definite rebuttals. Here's looking at you, Nate. rolleyes.gif )

Anyways, my main argument is that truth itself deals with perception, and that perception itself is subjective. Do not confuse truth with knowledge; epistemologically, truth is a value required for something to be considered knowledge, along with justification and belief.

I am making, for the sake of argument, fact synonymous with knowledge, in the sense that you can never know something unless it is fact. In order for something to be fact, you must have the three factors listed above; justification, truth (you perceive it to be true), and a belief that it is, per se, true. If you remove any of those three factors, then you do cannot know.

But fact aside, my main argument is that, since truth itself is what you perceive, it is ostensibly subjective.

Please discuss.
 
 
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NoSex
post Sep 12 2006, 04:30 PM
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Well, I'm going to have to say that that is an arbitrary denotation. Utterly useless, and ultimately meaningless.

Main Entry: truth
Pronunciation: 'trüth
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural truths /'trü[th]z, 'trüths/
Etymology: Middle English trewthe, from Old English trEowth fidelity; akin to Old English trEowe faithful -- more at TRUE
1 a archaic : FIDELITY, CONSTANCY b : sincerity in action, character, and utterance
2 a (1) : the state of being the case : FACT (2) : the body of real things, events, and facts : ACTUALITY (3) often capitalized : a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality b : a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true <truths of thermodynamics> c : the body of true statements and propositions
3 a : the property (as of a statement) of being in accord with fact or reality b chiefly British : TRUE 2 c : fidelity to an original or to a standard
4 capitalized, Christian Science : GOD
- in truth : in accordance with fact : ACTUALLY

Main Entry: true
Pronunciation: 'trü
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): truˇer; truˇest
Etymology: Middle English trewe, from Old English trEowe faithful; akin to Old High German gitriuwi faithful, Old Irish derb sure, and probably to Sanskrit dAruna hard, dAru wood -- more at TREE
1 a : STEADFAST, LOYAL b : HONEST, JUST c archaic : TRUTHFUL
2 a (1) : being in accordance with the actual state of affairs <true description> (2) : conformable to an essential reality (3) : fully realized or fulfilled <dreams come true> b : IDEAL, ESSENTIAL c : being that which is the case rather than what is manifest or assumed <the true dimension of the problem> d : CONSISTENT <true to character>
3 a : properly so called <true love> <the true faith> <the true stomach of ruminant mammals> b (1) : possessing the basic characters of and belonging to the same natural group as <a whale is a true but not a typical mammal> (2) : TYPICAL <the true cats>
4 : LEGITIMATE, RIGHTFUL <our true and lawful king>
5 a : that is fitted or formed or that functions accurately b : conformable to a standard or pattern : ACCURATE
6 : determined with reference to the earth's axis rather than the magnetic poles <true north>
7 : logically necessary
8 : NARROW, STRICT <in the truest sense>
9 : corrected for error
- trueˇness noun

But, beyond just these definitions, you're moving away - now - from the idea that truth is subjective. If truth were subjective it would be determined by the subject, not by the object. Further, subjective propositions don't usually have a truth value. If a subjective proposition doesn't even hold a truth value itself, how can it be true?
 

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