Transcript Lecture X

MIDTERM EXAMINATION
THE MIDTERM EXAMINATION WILL BE ON
FRIDAY, MAY 2, IN THIS CLASSROOM,
STARTING AT 1:00 P.M. BRING A BLUE BOOK.
THE EXAM WILL COVER: CHAPTER 1 (i.e.,
INTRODUCTION, pp. 1-22), CHAPTERS 2, 3, 5,
6 (IN PART), AND THE ASSIGNED READINGS
(EXCEPT FOR THE SPINOZA AND BRADLEY
EXCERPTS).
LECTURE 10
OBJECTIVITY
OBJECTIVE TRUTH
• THE COMMONSENSE WESTERN METAPHYSIC
SHOULD (PERHAPS) BE TAKEN TO INVOLVE A
BELIEF IN OBJECTIVE TRUTH.
• WHAT OBJECTIVE TRUTH IS NOT: (A)
OBECTIVE TRUTH IS NOT THE SAME AS
CERTAINTY OR EVEN KNOWLEDGE. (B)
OBJECTIVE TRUTH IS NOT “WHAT IS TRUE
FOR YOU” OR “WHAT IS TRUE FOR ME.”
SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN
OBJECTIVE TRUTH DOESN’T HAVE TO
CLAIM TO KNOW WHICH THINGS ARE
OBJECTIVELY TRUE.
“THERE IS LIFE ON OTHER
PLANETS” MAY BE OBJECTIVELY
TRUE (IF NOT: “THERE IS NO LIFE
ON OTHER PLANETS” IS
OBJECTIVELY TRUE).
THE NOTION EXPLAINED
SUPPOSE WE CONFINE OUR DISCUSSION TO
BELIEFS (OTHER THINGS MAY BE TRUE OR
FALSE AS WELL: ASSERTIONS, SENTENCES,
THOUGHTS).
“A BELIEF IS EITHER (OBJECTIVELY) TRUE OR
(OBECTIVELY) FALSE BECAUSE OF THE WAY
THE WORLD IS. BELIEFS (OR PERCEPTIONS)
DO NOT CAUSE THE WORLD TO BE A CERTAIN
WAY.”
MEANINGLESS BELIEFS AND VAGUE
BELIEFS
SOME BELIEFS MAY BE MEANINGLESS.
HEIDIGGER CLAIMED TO BELIEVE THAT “THE
NOTHING NOTHIINGS.” MAYBE HE HAD
SOMETHING IN MIND WHICH CAN BE TRUE
OR FALSE, BUT HE HAS NOT COMMUNICATED
IT VERY WELL.”
SUCH “BELIEFS” MAY NOT BE EITHER TRUE OR
FALSE.
VAGUE BELIEFS
“ANDERSON WAS TALL”
AT ONE TIME I WAS 5 FEET 11½ INCHES TALL.
WAS I TALL? SOME BELIEFS MAY BE NEITHER
TRUE NOR FALSE BECAUSE OF VAGUENESS.
EXCLUDING MEANINGLESS AND VAGUE
BELIEFS, IT IS CLAIMED BY THE
“REALIST” (ABOUT TRUTH) THAT
SOME (OR PERHAPS ALL) BELIEFS ARE
EITHER OBJECTIVELY TRUE OR
OBJECTIVLEY FALSE.
A PUZZLE ABOUT ANTIREALISM
(AR) “NO BELIEFS ARE
OBJECTIVELY TRUE.”