Chapter 6 - Assessing Truth-Claims

Question 1

What is the correspondence theory of truth?

Answer 1

Truth consists of a correspondence of a statement and a fact: when the correspondence holds, the statement is true: when it doesn’t hold, the statement is flase.

Question 2

What is an issue with the correspondence theory of truth?

Answer 2

There are many statements we believe to be true for which there seem to be no corresponding facts (e.g., historical facts)

Question 3

What is an empirical fact?

Answer 3

A fact that is observable in principle.

Question 4

What is an empirical statement?

Answer 4

A statement that asserts empirical facts.

Question 5

Why is the correspondence theory an appropriate criterion for our knowledge of the external, observable world?

Answer 5

The world around us consists of empirical facts.

Question 6

What are brute facts?

Answer 6

Facts that are independent of our beliefs about them.

Question 7

What is the coherence theory of truth?

Answer 7

Truth is defined by reference to the reasons we have for believing something to be true; a belief or statement is true IFF it coheres with a system of beliefs of statements.

Question 8

When is the coherence theory strongest?

Answer 8

When dealing with non-empirical statements.

Question 9

What is the pragmatic theory of truth?

Answer 9

A statement or belief is true IFF it leads to the successful solution of a real problem.

Question 10

What is real problem?

Answer 10

IFF we have to solve it in order to go on to do something else.

Question 11

What is a problem with the pragmatic theory?

Answer 11

There are many beliefs that we are quite certain of that are not regarded as solutions to problems.

Question 12

What is the difference between indirect and direct verification?

Answer 12

Indirect is strong evidence in favour of a statement, direct is conclusive.

Question 13

What are general empirical statements?

Answer 13

Statements about classes of objects or events.

Question 14

What are the two types of general empirical statements?

Answer 14

1. Statistical empirical statements.
2. Universal empirical statements

Question 15

What are statistical empirical statements?

Answer 15

Statements that make claims about some, or a certain proportion, of a class of objects or events.

Question 16

What are universal empirical statements?

Answer 16

Statements about every member of some class.

Question 17

How can universal empirical statements be refuted?

Answer 17

By a single exception

Question 18

Can universal empirical statements be verified?

Answer 18

No, only falsified.

Question 19

How are non-empirical statements verified?

Answer 19

Appealing to other non-empirical statements.

Question 20

Give examples of non-empirical statements.

Answer 20

• Analytic
• Contradictory
• Ethical
• Aesthetic
• Religious

Question 21

What are foundational principles?

Answer 21

Class of non-empirical statements; principles that lie at the basis of all knowledge claims, including empirical ones. (i.e., law of causality)

Question 22

What are the two types of strict proofs?

Answer 22

Empirical proofs and non-empirical proofs

Question 23

What is an empirical proof?

Answer 23

Empirical evidence is subjected to scrutiny designed to eliminate as far as possible any error.

Question 24

?What is a non-empirical proof

Answer 24

An argument in which the premises are shown to be true and whose conclusion follows necessarily from them.

Question 25

How do we determine when strict proofs are necessary?

Answer 25

Based on context.

Question 26

How do we determine a statement to be acceptable?

Answer 26

1. If common knowledge, regard it as acceptable, unless context requires higher standard of proof.
2. If not common knowledge, ask for or offer evidence upon which it is based, and accept it only if the evidence meets the appropriate standard.

Question 27

What is the fallacy of begging the question?

Answer 27

Premises presupposed, directly or indirectly, the truth of its conclusion.

Question 28

Provide an example of begging the question.

Answer 28

Morality is very important, because without it people would not behave according to moral principles.

Question 29

What is the fallacy of inconcistency?

Answer 29

When an argument contains, implicitly or explicitly, a contradiction, usually between two premises.

Question 30

Provide an example of the fallacy of inconsistency.

Answer 30

Mary is older than John and John is older than Mary.

Question 31

What is the fallacy of equivocation?

Answer 31

When a term is used with more than one meaning within a single argument.

Question 32

Give an example of an equivocation fallacy.

Answer 32

Noisy children are a headache.
An aspirin will make a headache go away.
Therefore, an aspirin will make noisy children go away.

Question 33

What are exhaustive alternatives?

Answer 33

Alternatives that cover all the possibilities.

Question 34

What are exclusive alternatives?

Answer 34

When the choice of one rules out the other(s).

Question 35

What is the fallacy of false dichotomy?

Answer 35

Premise of an argument presents us with a choice between two alternatives and assumes they are exhaustive or exclusive or both when in fact they are not.

Question 36

Give an example of a false dichotomy.

Answer 36

Why should we give aid to other countries when we have homeless people in our own country?