The 3 Views of Truth (Difficulty Level: Basic/Introductory)
One criterion for education to take place is to first have something to teach. But all "teachings" - whether each is taken in specific parts, or as a general whole - are either true or false.
This immediately brings up the concern over how it is that humans can know whether something is true or false - as well as the concern over whether or not those things which are "known" to be true are indeed true for everybody, always and everywhere; or whether they are merely true for some people, some of the time.
As it happens, there are 3 ways to approach this concern. Each of these 3 ways leads to its own potential solution to the "problem" of understanding exactly what it is that we are talking about - when we find ourselves talking about human "knowledge."
The 3 Views of Truth
There are 3 main views on "truth" or how you might "come into possession of truth" that exist in human thought. Your own idea of what "truth" is will depend on which of the 3 views that you are currently accepting. The 3 views are:
1) the Skepticist view
2) the Intrinsicist view
3) the Objectivist view
1) The Skepticist view is a "subjective" view that advocates the idea that there is no such thing as any "external" truth - truth that is outside of our own internal impression of things (although this view admits that we can be in touch with or, we can REALLY KNOW, our own feelings about things).
2) The Intrincist view is an "ultimate reality" view that advocates the idea that, while there is ultimate truth about things, we cannot get to this truth using traditional human "intelligence."
In other words, it is assumed that we cannot find the truth of the matter about things by "merely" applying logical reasoning to the evidence to which we are exposed (although this view admits that we can "pick up the truth signal" intuitively, and experience a revelation that puts us directly in touch with the ultimate reality of things).
3) The Objectivist view is the traditional "scientific" view that advocates the idea that we can learn the truth about things - although sometimes only very slowly - by systematic observation, by recording what we find, and applying logical reasoning to the evidence that we discover.
This immediately brings up the concern over how it is that humans can know whether something is true or false - as well as the concern over whether or not those things which are "known" to be true are indeed true for everybody, always and everywhere; or whether they are merely true for some people, some of the time.
As it happens, there are 3 ways to approach this concern. Each of these 3 ways leads to its own potential solution to the "problem" of understanding exactly what it is that we are talking about - when we find ourselves talking about human "knowledge."
The 3 Views of Truth
There are 3 main views on "truth" or how you might "come into possession of truth" that exist in human thought. Your own idea of what "truth" is will depend on which of the 3 views that you are currently accepting. The 3 views are:
1) the Skepticist view
2) the Intrinsicist view
3) the Objectivist view
1) The Skepticist view is a "subjective" view that advocates the idea that there is no such thing as any "external" truth - truth that is outside of our own internal impression of things (although this view admits that we can be in touch with or, we can REALLY KNOW, our own feelings about things).
2) The Intrincist view is an "ultimate reality" view that advocates the idea that, while there is ultimate truth about things, we cannot get to this truth using traditional human "intelligence."
In other words, it is assumed that we cannot find the truth of the matter about things by "merely" applying logical reasoning to the evidence to which we are exposed (although this view admits that we can "pick up the truth signal" intuitively, and experience a revelation that puts us directly in touch with the ultimate reality of things).
3) The Objectivist view is the traditional "scientific" view that advocates the idea that we can learn the truth about things - although sometimes only very slowly - by systematic observation, by recording what we find, and applying logical reasoning to the evidence that we discover.
posted by Ed | 1:25 PM
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