There is nothing but stories. Is that right? Or is there something truer than stories? Some stories are better than others. They can still be delusions.
I think John, for us, there are only ‘stories’ - but some are truer than others (not just better). The journey of the self, like that of the universe, is a ‘story’. I'd also like to add: the best story isn't written by us. We can only find ourselves in it. Stringfellow would say: our personal biography should be aligned with revelation.
When a mathematician writes a proof or a programmer writes code, he has to be rigorous about what is true and what is not true. The activities are difficult partly because complex and partly because the human mind naturally tends to be bad at deciding whether a proposition is true or false, beyond very simple cases. Computer logic is slightly different than mathematical logic, but still a rigorous variant on it.
I omit AI and quantum phenomena: there is, I suppose, an assumption that both work deterministically, but do not appear deterministic because too complex and because there is a stochastic element: give the system a chance event then apply strict logic to that chance event. They rely, in different ways, on the assumption that whilst randomness eixsts, any statement about probability is mathematically either true or false
Is truth in stories different ? A good story is a story which gives meaning. Arguably a good story is true if it is unlikely to be dislodged by an encounter with "reality". Arguably a story is good if it does more good than harm. In what sense is a good story true? Does mathematical truth (however it works) provide a gold standard?
Do narrative areas of thought which seek truth, seek the same kind of truth as a simple test (e.g 2 + 2=4; True or false?)? In which case the aspiration of analytic philosophy is valid, even though there may be valid thoughts whose truth value is too complex to test? Or are there different kinds of truth?
For me it’s unquestionable that the truth of religion is of a different kind to propositional or mathematical truth. Art, poetry and human experience also have their own truths. The narrowing down of the world: truth is only something that can be proven, quantified or scientifically verified.
I am still thinking about this. It does not strike me as obviously true, except superficially. A further question may be: if a statement about truth can be true, what type of truth would it express? However, I am still stuck on the first question.
There is nothing but stories. Is that right? Or is there something truer than stories? Some stories are better than others. They can still be delusions.
I think John, for us, there are only ‘stories’ - but some are truer than others (not just better). The journey of the self, like that of the universe, is a ‘story’. I'd also like to add: the best story isn't written by us. We can only find ourselves in it. Stringfellow would say: our personal biography should be aligned with revelation.
Your thoughts?
Since you ask for my thoguhts...
When a mathematician writes a proof or a programmer writes code, he has to be rigorous about what is true and what is not true. The activities are difficult partly because complex and partly because the human mind naturally tends to be bad at deciding whether a proposition is true or false, beyond very simple cases. Computer logic is slightly different than mathematical logic, but still a rigorous variant on it.
I omit AI and quantum phenomena: there is, I suppose, an assumption that both work deterministically, but do not appear deterministic because too complex and because there is a stochastic element: give the system a chance event then apply strict logic to that chance event. They rely, in different ways, on the assumption that whilst randomness eixsts, any statement about probability is mathematically either true or false
Is truth in stories different ? A good story is a story which gives meaning. Arguably a good story is true if it is unlikely to be dislodged by an encounter with "reality". Arguably a story is good if it does more good than harm. In what sense is a good story true? Does mathematical truth (however it works) provide a gold standard?
Do narrative areas of thought which seek truth, seek the same kind of truth as a simple test (e.g 2 + 2=4; True or false?)? In which case the aspiration of analytic philosophy is valid, even though there may be valid thoughts whose truth value is too complex to test? Or are there different kinds of truth?
For me it’s unquestionable that the truth of religion is of a different kind to propositional or mathematical truth. Art, poetry and human experience also have their own truths. The narrowing down of the world: truth is only something that can be proven, quantified or scientifically verified.
I am still thinking about this. It does not strike me as obviously true, except superficially. A further question may be: if a statement about truth can be true, what type of truth would it express? However, I am still stuck on the first question.