Difference between revisions of "Truth"
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'Truth' is a very simple concept, understood perfectly well by three-year-olds, but often made unnecessarily complicated by adults. | 'Truth' is a very simple concept, understood perfectly well by three-year-olds, but often made unnecessarily complicated by adults. | ||
| − | == | + | ==See also== |
| + | *[[Litany of Tarski]] | ||
| − | * [http://yudkowsky.net/rational/the-simple-truth The Simple Truth] by Eliezer Yudkowsky | + | ==Primary article== |
| + | *[http://yudkowsky.net/rational/the-simple-truth The Simple Truth] by [[Eliezer Yudkowsky]] | ||
| − | + | ==Blog posts== | |
| − | *[http://www.overcomingbias.com/2006/11/why_truth_and.html Why truth? and...] | + | *[http://www.overcomingbias.com/2006/11/why_truth_and.html Why truth? and...] by [[Eliezer Yudkowsky]] - You have an instrumental motive to care about the truth of your ''beliefs about'' anything you care about. |
| − | *[http://lesswrong.com/lw/lz/guardians_of_the_truth/ Guardians of the Truth] | + | *[http://lesswrong.com/lw/lz/guardians_of_the_truth/ Guardians of the Truth] by [[Eliezer Yudkowsky]] - Endorsing a concept of truth is not the same as endorsing a particular belief as eternally, absolutely, knowably true. |
| − | *[http://lesswrong.com/lw/hp/feeling_rational/ Feeling Rational] | + | *[http://lesswrong.com/lw/hp/feeling_rational/ Feeling Rational] by [[Eliezer Yudkowsky]] - Emotions cannot be true or false, but they can follow from true or false beliefs. |
| − | *[http://lesswrong.com/lw/jz/the_meditation_on_curiosity/#tarski The Meditation on Curiosity] | + | *[http://lesswrong.com/lw/jz/the_meditation_on_curiosity/#tarski The Meditation on Curiosity] by [[Eliezer Yudkowsky]] - In particular, the [[Litany of Tarski]]. |
| − | *[http://lesswrong.com/lw/sf/fake_norms_or_truth_vs_truth/ "Truth" vs. Truth] | + | *[http://lesswrong.com/lw/sf/fake_norms_or_truth_vs_truth/ "Truth" vs. Truth] by [[Eliezer Yudkowsky]] - Our society has a moral norm for applauding "truth", but actual truths get much less applause (this is a bad thing). |
[[Category:Concepts]] | [[Category:Concepts]] | ||
Revision as of 18:32, 5 June 2009
Correspondence between map and territory.
Alfred Tarski defined truth in terms of an infinite family of sentences such as:
- "The sentence 'snow is white' is true if and only if snow is white."
To understand whether a belief is true, we need (only) to understand what possible states of the world would make it true or false, and then ask directly about the world.
'Truth' is a very simple concept, understood perfectly well by three-year-olds, but often made unnecessarily complicated by adults.
See also
Primary article
Blog posts
- Why truth? and... by Eliezer Yudkowsky - You have an instrumental motive to care about the truth of your beliefs about anything you care about.
- Guardians of the Truth by Eliezer Yudkowsky - Endorsing a concept of truth is not the same as endorsing a particular belief as eternally, absolutely, knowably true.
- Feeling Rational by Eliezer Yudkowsky - Emotions cannot be true or false, but they can follow from true or false beliefs.
- The Meditation on Curiosity by Eliezer Yudkowsky - In particular, the Litany of Tarski.
- "Truth" vs. Truth by Eliezer Yudkowsky - Our society has a moral norm for applauding "truth", but actual truths get much less applause (this is a bad thing).
