What are the 5 truths philosophy?

The Five Major Theories of Truth in Philosophy

The question of truth has been a lodestar in the history of philosophy, with many philosophers advanced different views on what the nature of truth is, and how we might gain it.

Of the numerous theories of truth, five philosophical approaches have stood out for their lasting influence: the Correspondence Theory, the Coherence Theory, the Pragmatic Theory, the Deflationary Theory, and the Consensus Theory. Each of these gives a different way of thinking about truth, its nature, and how it is related to reality, belief, and knowledge.

1. **Correspondence Theory of Truth**

The Correspondence Theory probably is the oldest and the most well-known theory of truth. Based upon Aristotle's writings, this theory posits that a statement or belief is true when it corresponds with the reality to which it refers. The main thought is that truth contains a relationship between a proposition and the state of affairs in the external world.

More simply, a statement is true if it accurately represents or captures the way the world is.

 Main Idea:

A belief or proposition is true in so far as it corresponds with the facts of the world. Truth is thus perceived as objective and independent of human perceptions or beliefs.

 Example:

Take, for instance, the statement, "Water boils at 100°C at sea level." According to Correspondence Theory, it is true because it corresponds to observable, factual phenomena. If water does boil at 100°C under natural conditions, then the proposition accurately reflects that.

Criticisms:

A major criticism of the Correspondence Theory is that it assumes we have unmediated access to reality, undistorted. Critics will point out that our view of the world is always filtered through language and culture, personal biases, which may undermine any direct correspondence between statements and external reality.

 2. Coherence Theory of Truth:

The other is the **Coherence Theory**: a theory in which truth depends on the coherence and consistency of the constituents of the system. Another way of stating this could be: a statement could be considered true if that statement is coherent with every other belief in some system of knowledge.

Key Concept:

Truth is not a matter of direct correspondence with the world but rather how well a statement fits within an interconnected web of beliefs that are coherent and mutually supportive.

Example:

Consider a scientific theory like **evolution**. The truth of the theory does not depend on the degree to which individual facts correspond to isolated observations but rather on how well the theory as a whole coheres with other established scientific principles and observations in genetics, paleontology, and comparative anatomy.

 Philosophical Foundations:

The Coherence Theory is developed by philosophers like **Baruch Spinoza**, **G.W.F. Hegel**, and **F.H. Bradley**. These thinkers, through their works, posited that beliefs derive their truth value not from correspondence to outward facts but from their coherence within a system of ideas.

 Criticisms:

The Coherence Theory has been criticized because it can, in effect, allow systems of belief that are contradictory to be held as "true." For example, different religious or philosophical systems may each be internally coherent, but they may contradict one another in fundamental ways. That, of course, raises the question of whether coherence alone can be an adequate criterion for truth.

3. **Pragmatic Theory of Truth**

The Pragmatic Theory is a theory concerning truth, which mainly transports the practical consequences and usefulness of beliefs and statements. This was first introduced in philosophy by Charles Peirce, William James, and John Dewey; the latter two are proponents of the theory that posits that a belief is true if it proves to be useful, effective, or works in practice. Truth is hence dynamic, relative, and dependent upon the ability of a belief to solve problems and further bring successful consequences.

Central Idea:

Truth is determined by practical application—how well a belief helps us navigate the world, solve problems, or reach goals. A statement is true if it works within the context of our lived experience.

 Example:

The statement "Objects fall to the ground due to gravity" is taken to be true because it has been proved by practical application, namely, when we drop objects, they do indeed always fall. The theory of gravity works reliably in various contexts, from everyday experiences to scientific applications like satellite navigation.

 Philosophical Foundations: The Pragmatic Theory came as a response to abstract and idealistic theories regarding truth that dominated earlier philosophical traditions. **William James** famously asserted that "truth is what works" and **Charles Peirce** the idea that the meaning of a concept lies in its practical effects.

 Criticisms:

Critics say that in the Pragmatic Theory, truth is reduced to mere practicality or usefulness, which may not grasp the full complexity of what it means for something to be true. Truth might not always be about what works in practice but also about what corresponds to reality or adheres to logical coherence.

4. **Deflationary (Minimalist) Theory of Truth**

The **Deflationary Theory** of truth is the view which holds that there is no such need; it denies, in essence, the enterprise of providing any kind of substantive definition of truth whatsoever. Indeed, often entitled the **Minimalist Theory**, deflationary accounts hold the position that truth is not a property borne by statements, but solely a linguistic device.

For instance, "It is true that snow is white "comes to the same thing as just saying, "Snow is white. "

Key Concept:

Truth is not a major or substantive property but only a mode of endorsing or affirming a statement. The function of the word "truth" is to indicate that a proposition has been asserted, not that anything more is meant by the assertion.

Example:

The Deflationary Theory would hold that when one says, "It is true that the Earth orbits the Sun," the truth claim is not adding any further information to the statement "The Earth orbits the Sun." It's just a way of saying that the proposition is asserted.

 Philosophical Foundations:

The Deflationary Theory found support from philosophers like **Frege**, **Quine**, and **Donald Davidson**. They think the function of the word "truth" is just to enable the logical structuring of statements and so requires no deeper metaphysical investigation.

 Criticisms:

One objection to it is that the Deflationary Theory trivializes the view of truth by not answering important questions about truth: what it is, how we come to have knowledge of it. In this way, with this reduction of truth to just a linguistic tool, the epistemic and ontological dimensions of truth risk being overlooked.

 5. **Consensus Theory of Truth** The **Consensus Theory** posits that truth is established by common accord or social processes. Under this theory, something is true if it is agreed upon by a community or group of people. In this view, truth is social and communal in nature; it is through dialogue, discussion, and shared practices that truth emerges. 

Key Concept: Truth is the function of communal or group agreement. It is not a thing that exists independently from human beings, but rather it is formed by means of social interaction and by consensus. 

 Example: Take, for example, the concept of human rights. While some might argue they are objective and universal, the Consensus Theory would classify them as true, inasmuch as they are broadly held and long-standing in the world community through such mediums as the United Nations. 

Philosophical Foundations: This theory has been much developed by philosophers such as **Jürgen Habermas**, who stressed the role of **rational discourse** and **dialogue** in the formation of truth. In its modern form it is often associated with sociological and postmodern thought. Criticisms: One of the major criticisms of the Consensus Theory is that it lends itself to **relativism**, where truths are only true for a given community or group. This raises questions about whether such truths can be universally valid or whether they are contingent upon cultural and social context. --- 

 Conclusion 

The five great theories of truth include Correspondence, Coherence, Pragmatism, Deflationary, and Consensus; each describes what truth is and how we come to understand it. While the Correspondence Theory emphasizes relations between propositions and reality, the Coherence Theory seeks consistency among beliefs within a system. The Pragmatic Theory grounds truth in practical effectiveness, while according to the Deflationary Theory, truth is just a linguistic convenience. Lastly, the Consensus Theory focuses on truth as something produced by social consensus. Each of these theories offers something valuable in trying to grasp the complicated nature of truth, and philosophers continue to research, critique, and further develop these ideas so as to understand better how we come to know what is true.

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