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What and Where is "Truth"?

Nicholas Johnson
Comment 1:19 Entered in the
Western Behavioral Sciences Institute
"Post-Truth Era" Topic

of the
International Leadership Forum
(an online, invitation-only exchange on a number of topics)

1:19) 08-MAY-2002 08:23 Nicholas Johnson 


There is no "truth." There are only operational definitions of "truth in context."

Examples:

Can anyone come up with more?

In all of this inquiry, don't forget general semantics: Levels of abstraction (molecular; role of/differences between individuals' sensory apparatus; perceptions; impact of past experiences/prejudices; labeling and use of "non-sense" (i.e., no verifiable external referents) vocabulary; ability to distinguish between (a) observed space-time events, and (b) inferences); etc., etc.

Perhaps what we are talking about is "social truth"?

If so, and you're interested in considering that in a context of general semantics, you might want to take a look at a piece I wrote some years back that continues to get a lot of hits:

"Searching for the Right Word: The Semantics of Herosexual Relationships," http://www.uiowa.edu/~cyberlaw/archive/riteword.html

What is the "truth" about the relationship between Tom and Liz, or Susie and Ed, in that piece? Can you find any examples of what you think should be charcterized as a "lie"? Why do you think so? Or, if not, why not? If this is not about "truth" and "lies" what is going on here?


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