On Thu, 27 Mar 2008, Peter Benson wrote:
> John,
> While truth is a challenging concept that has and will continue to be
> debated by philosophers probably forever, we can and do as you say
> make approximations and many would dispute even this. The point I was
> trying to make is that we do not need to use the concept of truth to
> function. Courts function of the principle of "reasonable doubt" and
> lasers are succesfully used in construction. (01)
You are confusing the fact that truth can often not be established with
certainty with the idea that we don't need a concept of truth. Truth
is, in fact, unavoidable. In particular, it is presupposed in the ideas
of approximation and reasonable doubt. Approximation is approximation
to the truth, and reasonable doubt is reasonable doubt about the truth.
Truth is not (merely) a topic for idle philosophical speculation. It is
central to the way we conceptualize the world. (02)
Chris Menzel (03)
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