A Pragmatic View of Truth
This paper proposes an alternative view of the connection between knowledge and truth. Truth is traditionally seen as a semantic notion, i.e. a relation between what we say about the world and the world itself. Epistemologists and philosophers of science are therefore apt to resort to correspondence...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
2004-12-01
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| Series: | Principia: An International Journal of Epistemology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/principia/article/view/14647/13394 |
| _version_ | 1818806749065379840 |
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| author | Luiz Henrique de A. Dutra |
| author_facet | Luiz Henrique de A. Dutra |
| author_sort | Luiz Henrique de A. Dutra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper proposes an alternative view of the connection between knowledge and truth. Truth is traditionally seen as a semantic notion, i.e. a relation between what we say about the world and the world itself. Epistemologists and philosophers of science are therefore apt to resort to correspondence theories of truth in order to deal with the question whether our theories and beliefs are true. Correspondence theories try to define truth, but, in order to do so, they must choose a truth bearer, i.e. something capable of being true, for instance, propositions, sentences or statements. According to the analysis here proposed, none of these truth bearers can be defined without reference to the others. The pragmatic, alternative view here presented, in its turn, is unaffected by this kind of conceptual difficulty. According to this view, one must focus on the use of truth terms – such as ‘true’, ‘false’, ‘correct’, ‘appropriate’, etc. – and the methodological role such terms play in the investigative practices and research programs to be found both in the sciences and in other, everyday investigative activities, such as forensic and journalistic investigations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T19:14:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a9323b6c835c44599a8a916c75b89cfd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1414-4247 1808-1711 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T19:14:43Z |
| publishDate | 2004-12-01 |
| publisher | Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Principia: An International Journal of Epistemology |
| spelling | doaj.art-a9323b6c835c44599a8a916c75b89cfd2022-12-21T20:56:10ZengUniversidade Federal de Santa CatarinaPrincipia: An International Journal of Epistemology1414-42471808-17112004-12-01082259277A Pragmatic View of TruthLuiz Henrique de A. DutraThis paper proposes an alternative view of the connection between knowledge and truth. Truth is traditionally seen as a semantic notion, i.e. a relation between what we say about the world and the world itself. Epistemologists and philosophers of science are therefore apt to resort to correspondence theories of truth in order to deal with the question whether our theories and beliefs are true. Correspondence theories try to define truth, but, in order to do so, they must choose a truth bearer, i.e. something capable of being true, for instance, propositions, sentences or statements. According to the analysis here proposed, none of these truth bearers can be defined without reference to the others. The pragmatic, alternative view here presented, in its turn, is unaffected by this kind of conceptual difficulty. According to this view, one must focus on the use of truth terms – such as ‘true’, ‘false’, ‘correct’, ‘appropriate’, etc. – and the methodological role such terms play in the investigative practices and research programs to be found both in the sciences and in other, everyday investigative activities, such as forensic and journalistic investigations.http://www.periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/principia/article/view/14647/13394Truthtruth bearerstheories of truthpragmatics of truth |
| spellingShingle | Luiz Henrique de A. Dutra A Pragmatic View of Truth Principia: An International Journal of Epistemology Truth truth bearers theories of truth pragmatics of truth |
| title | A Pragmatic View of Truth |
| title_full | A Pragmatic View of Truth |
| title_fullStr | A Pragmatic View of Truth |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Pragmatic View of Truth |
| title_short | A Pragmatic View of Truth |
| title_sort | pragmatic view of truth |
| topic | Truth truth bearers theories of truth pragmatics of truth |
| url | http://www.periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/principia/article/view/14647/13394 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT luizhenriquedeadutra apragmaticviewoftruth AT luizhenriquedeadutra pragmaticviewoftruth |