Theories of Knowledge Thursday,April 4th

What is truth? Possible definitions of truth are:
*Perception=Protagoras
*Belief
*Universally agreed upon beliefs and propositions. "Sentences(linguistic)and beliefs(mental)express propositions such as 2+2=4 and the cat is on the mat.

(Truth is "what is")- this is the correspondence theory of truth. True propositions are those which correspond w/reality. This is best observed by Tarski- "Snow is white" if and only if snow is white. This is the position taken by most philosophers.
Truths such as "there are 9 planets in our solar system". change over time as the definition of what is a planet changes. Because the social order says that planets are not made of ice. pluto is now considered a comet. Thusly instead of nine planets we now have 8 planets.

The statement "the sun is hot" If no life existed in the universe would this still be true. Only if it is a Proposition.

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? For an age old question like this must first determine the definition of sound that we will use. Sound can be two things:
*sensory experience in a brain or a mind.
*physical disturbance of a certain wavelength in a medium.

What is reality? (are thoughts or #'s real?)
belief vs reality:
belief-the U.S flag is red, white, and blue.
reality-the U.S flag is red, white, and blue.
Question: what if the trim of the flag is yellow and what about the size of the flag.

belief-It's morally wrong to deceive others for personal gain.
reality-moral beliefs are not truths but concepts.
Fact: Moral belief concepts are a problem for the Correspondence theory.

Knowledge entails truth -> knowledge a roughly true justified belief -> Justified= good reasons, evidence or proof.

There can be truth without belief or justification.

William James' Pragmatic Theory of Truth. "Truth is what works or what's useful or truth is cash value of an idea (Practical Implications)". -This theory makes no sense to Dr.Borrowdale and most Philosophers and is rejected on Pragmatic grounds. "What is useful to me may not be useful to you".