Truth and Wisdom

‘Keep the company of those who seek the truth,

and run away from those who have found it.’

Václav Havel, 1936-

Which pill would you take?
Some quotes on truth and knowledge
 Relevant essay questions:

• When should we trust our senses to give us

truth?

• Can a machine know?’

• To understand something you need to rely on

your own experience and culture. Does this mean
that it is impossible to have objective knowledge?
 Relevant essay questions:
• Are some ways of knowing more likely than others to lead to
truth?

• Can literature "tell the truth" better than other Arts or Areas
of Knowledge?

• "Different cultures have different truths." "A truth is that

which can be accepted universally." What are the implications
for knowledge of agreeing with these opposing statements?

• One definition of knowledge is true belief based on strong

evidence. What makes evidence "strong" enough and how
can this limit be established?
 Theories of truth
• Coherence theory: ‘He is
guilty.’

• Correspondence theory:
‘The grass is green.’

• Pragmatism: ‘I am a good
looking genius.’
 What are the limitations
and/or possibilities of each
theory?

How would you analyse the validity of “God exists” through each theory?
The truth? An age-old debate.
Will we ever get there?
Beyond relativism and dogmatism
 Homework: (mini essay)
• ‘Context is all’ (Margaret Atwood). Does this
mean that there is no such thing as the truth?

• ‘“The knowledge that we value the most is the

knowledge for which we can provide the
strongest justifications.” To what extent would
you agree with this claim?

• ‘Belief has been described as "certainty about

what cannot be seen". Does this statement hold
true in any, some or all Areas of Knowledge?’