THEORIES OF KNOWLEDGE--notes for Wednsday september 25th:
WHAT IS TRUTH?
-truth is the sum total of all truths.
-the opposite of false
-a "quality" of beliefs--statements and propositions (logical and abstract)
eg: "CATS HAVE FUR."
STATEMENT: Someone expresses the proposition "cats have fur" in language--spoken or written.
BELIEF: Someone holds the propisition in mind and affirms it to be true.
WHAT IS FALSEHOOD?
(What does it mean for a belief to be false?
is there such thing as a false belief?)
CORRESPONDANCE THEORY OF TRUTH
the "ordinary common sense" definition of truth: "Truth is that which corresponds with reality." Corresponds=ACCURATELY DESCRIBES
"A true statement depicts the world as it is."
TARSKI: "Snow is white" is a true statement if, and only if, the SNOW is WHITE.
(utterly profound)
TRUTH AND KNOWLEDGE
KNOWLEDGE: a "roughly" true, justified belief--thus a FALSE BELIEF is what someone THINKS is knowledge
JUSTIFIED: proved, supported by GOOD EVIDENCE, something you have a "right" to believe.
NEITHER a TRUE UNJUSTIFIED BELIEF or a FALSE JUSTIFIED BELIEF are knowledge--continues on friday the 27th.