StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Truth: Principles of Biology or Mathematics - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
This essay "Truth: Principles of Biology or Mathematics" examines this question in three approaches commencing from the debate of epistemology, a debate on literature, and also finally a look at the theory of correspondence in light of metaphysics and truth…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER94% of users find it useful
Truth: Principles of Biology or Mathematics
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Truth: Principles of Biology or Mathematics"

Truth: How we are to think upon truth, is as diverse a topic as principles of biology or mathematics. I will examinethis question in three approaches commencing from the debate of epistemology, a debate on literature and finally a look at the theory of correspondence in light of metaphysics and truth. However, diverse the topic of truth, a measure of its boundaries and applications is imperative but logically unattainable. Knowledge in philosophy denotes justified true belief. In trying to explain epistemology, philosophers developed different ideologies. The use of perception in relation to sense data to determine knowledge and, therefore, truth has yielded a lot of debate. For instance, direct realism holds that, the world consists of mind independent physical objects. Through perception, an individual is directly aware of the independent objects. Then comes the science that states, what we perceive as an object is but a reflection of light. Scientists justify their claim beyond a reasonable doubt, in which case the absence of light is equal to the inability to see the object. Perception is, however, not dependent on one sense for humans have an abundance of five. For instance, in the dark one can still hear when he bumps into the object, feel its texture and approximate its size (touch), taste the surface and take in its scent (smell). Indirect realism tries to distinguish objects that are physically real and objects perceived by the mind. Indirect realists achieve this by assuming that humans are indirectly aware of mind independent objects. Study of the human mind has revealed that there are states in which the mind cannot distinguish true perceptions from false perceptions. Such states include illusions, dreams and other phenomena such as hallucinations which are real to minds as if they were in normal states. These states, therefore, disclaim the validity of both direct and indirect realism. This, in summary, dictates that the minds interpretation of the light ergo the object and in extension truth is as far as the individual mind perceives. Idealism holds that all physical objects are nothing more than just a collection of sensory ideas. In light of this, idealist can contradictorily say that 1) we are perceptually aware of actual physical things, but 2) all experiences are experiences of mental representations. Justification and belief are not enough to make a premise true as mentioned earlier. This insufficiency results in the Gettier problem. Philosophers try to solve this problem for instance, some theorists suggest redefining reliability. Nonetheless, the state of the mind controls the senses in which case truth still relies on an individual’s perception, however, fallible. What then are universal truths? Are all human minds playing a universal trick? Truth is the relation between a thing, state of affairs and their supporting evidence. The statement made is as a result of thought and judgment which require logical constructs to determine, in which case appeal to logos is eminent. Many intellectuals see Correspondence theory as dependent on conforms of external reality, ergo, metaphysics. To justify a preposition P as there has to exist a balanced equation between the components of preposition A and intellect. The balance of this equation does not restrict to objects and facts hence can apply to feelings, emotion, and people just but a few. Correspondence theory can describe two approaches of truth namely object based and fact based. Object-based correspondence summarizes judgment (in relation to an object) as true only if associate predicates correspond to the object. Noted, two accounts in regard to predicate associations are pertinent a) forming a reference relation and b) forming a correspondence relation. In summary, believes hold true if corresponding facts remain valid and false when corresponding facts are void. The correspondence theory to a considerable extent is a defense for metaphysical realism. However, all knowledge has a foundation in which case correspondence theory can be said to bear foundations in metaphysical realism. The fact that correspondence theory conforms to facts and reality makes theorists assume that truth is as Descartes put it “transcendently clear”. There are numerous theories that challenge correspondence theory but the focus is on the relativity of truth in relation to correspondence, direct realism, indirect realism and idealism. Given, there is already a discrepancy seeing as the first part of this paper establishes that truth is relative while other philosophers deem it transcendently clear. Protagoras, a leading sophist states, “All that exists is a preconception of the human mind.” Again, this statement alludes to mental states in relation to metaphysics. Already established is the fact that mental states are prone to error. This error extends to logical constructs and synthesis of reality hence the inability to create liable intellectual facts and conforms to justify truth in light of the correspondence theory. For any one given statement, an individual should have the ability to give evidence for or against that situation for their own benefit. This statement does not support truth but encourages the ability to manipulate it for ones benefit. The extent of morality in terms of truth thus becomes debatable. Drawing the line on the level individual’s can not exceed when utilizing intellects, facts and other arguments that denote truth is transcendently difficult. Non- contradiction is the view that a preposition cannot be both true and false hence it is either true or false. From the above arguments, this fact can only apply, to some extent, on scientific facts or mathematical logic but not in real life. The affairs of human beings are as contradictory as the existence of heaven and hell (philosophically speaking) (Scheffler 61). Prior knowledge of truth suggests that all prepositions and statements have both elements of truth and falsity. The preposition can take a negative or positive form and relegate focus to a universal or nonuniversal idea. Thus, the connection between a preposition and a predicate is consequently the ability of truth to contain the preposition concept and the predicate concept. Connection denotes correspondence while containment alludes to the containment theory of truth. To relay truths in regard to facts and objects a form of communication is suffice, therefore, the need for language and literature. The modernism period of literature examines the questionability of truth. Their techniques focus on language skills, and the use of grammar to deliver philosophical views. The subjectivity of truth in philosophy presented in this literature is apparent. A second characteristic of this period is that most authors were idealists in the sense that their works reflected that the people perceive the world as a result of mental representations. For instance, T. S Eliot in the notion of private truths reflects on the metamorphosis of truth to facts on exposure to the public. One may wonder how they are to relay on truth if they are to keep it from the public. Perhaps in reference to language a truth will hold if and only if its mode of presentation is concise and non contradictory. This is because the structure of language will render a statement true or untrue in regard to an individual’s interpretations despite the principle of non-contradiction as seen in the above paragraph. A truth is either contingent or necessary. Necessary truths are Priori and rely on the principle of non-contradiction in regards to substantiation. Contingent prepositions, however, have a likelihood of defying the principle of non-contradiction. Contingent truths earn their status of truth through sufficient reason. What then is to stop an individual from using sufficient reason to justify the boundaries of the morality of truth? Perception of notions and concepts beyond the realms of the universe can also take a contingent or necessary form. To justify truths beyond the scope of human intellect begs the question of a supernatural order and existence of beings superior to humans. Facts to support this supernatural state of ideas rely on contingent truths, yet the experience, in question, is reliant on faith. Faith as an idea is, again, a state of mind subject to individual control. Faith cannot receive justification from the five senses responsible for a majority of human perceptions without contradiction. In this light, universal truths border the existence of Sherlock Holmes in which case the human mind is at will, to wonder in and out of the scope of reality. The fact that truth is relative and circumstantial remains undisputed. However, the debate is squarely on the universal circumstances by which a situation or premises are true. Truth can receive justification on the basis of how a premise X influences an individual’s Logos, Ethos and Pathos. Truth can also derive from the relative morality apparent from the premise X. Finally truth can represent the constancy of X in situation A, B or C. These three statements all have some truth in them, but they cannot entirely stand on their own as descriptions of truth. Alfred North Whitehead is of the view that claiming that there are whole truths is in effect, untrue. Works cited: Scheffler, I. Worlds of Truth. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Truth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1450446-truth
(Truth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words)
https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1450446-truth.
“Truth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1450446-truth.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Truth: Principles of Biology or Mathematics

Epistemology Is the Study of Knowledge

The ancient philosophers did not differentiate knowledge based on art and science; For instance they grouped mathematics, painting, music and astronomy as episteme in the same category and were termed episteme.... For instance in the case of mathematics, the analyses are based on the fundamentals obtained from reality....
21 Pages (5250 words) Essay

Journalism, Writing Technologies

In the context of writing, for instance, there is the claim that its earliest precursor is mathematics and not pictures that many believe led to syllabic writing and phonetics (Liu, 2010, p315).... The paper "Journalism, Writing Technologies" underlines that while the claim that code has become a characteristic of modern society is valid, the arguments lack a degree of depth that left a cloud of uncertainty with regards to how the claim was substantiated....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Relevance of Various Knowledge Areas

This knowledge comes chiefly from mathematics and the physical sciences, and it is used in designing machinery, materials, and industrial processes.... This paper ''Relevance of Various Knowledge Areas'' tells us that technology has always been a major means for creating new physical and human environments....
13 Pages (3250 words) Essay

Platos Defense of the Republic King in the Republic

The focus of the paper "Plato's Republic" is on the 'Statesman' and the 'Law', political dialogues, the political philosophy, approach of Plato, conceptual analysis, political philosophy, the requirement based on rational reality, the idealization of the Good.... ... ... ... A subtle way to get into predefined intercourse by virtue of breeding guardian-warrior, which had been immortalized by Plato in the Republic....
20 Pages (5000 words) Essay

Potential Possibilities and the Limitations Involved in Formal Theories of Quantification

hose fields include linguistics, evolutionary biology, and neuroscience.... The consideration continues further in that Barwise and Etchemendy contend that "Quantification takes us out of the realm of truth-functional connectives.... uantifiers, according to Barwise and Etchemendy, have a tendency to dull the truthfulness of sentences giving them a generalization that may not bear an ounce of truth within them....
11 Pages (2750 words) Essay

How We Are to Think upon Truth, Is as Diverse a Topic as Principles of Biology or Mathematics

"How We Are to Think upon Truth, Is as Diverse a Topic as principles of biology or mathematics" paper examines this question in three approaches commencing from the debate of epistemology, a debate on literature, and finally a looks at the theory of correspondence in light of metaphysics and truth.... truth is either contingent or necessary.... Contingent truths earn their status of truth through sufficient reason.... The use of perception in relation to sensitive data to determine knowledge and, therefore, the truth has yielded a lot of debate....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Aristotle and His Works

This paper ''Aristotle and His Works'' tells that ethics refers to a set of principles of the right way to behave in a given environment.... However, some of the principles that he proposed such as 'the base angles of an isosceles triangle are equal, the angles about a point are two right angles, in a right-angled triangle the sum of the squares of the height and base is equal to the square of the hypotenuse, among others have been accepted as truths.... Again, as this does to everyone else, it applies to the policeman, assuming its general acceptance of the truth....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Changes in the Philosophy of Science since the Heyday of Logical Positivism

The essay "Changes in the Philosophy of Science since the Heyday of Logical Positivism" explains logical positivism was the main step of linking philosophy closer to science.... It has an influence on the modern philosophy of science and plays a crucial role in the formulation of philosophical ideas....
13 Pages (3250 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us