Single Idea 10843

[catalogued under 3. Truth / C. Correspondence Truth / 2. Correspondence to Facts]

Full Idea

Facts are what statements (when true) state; they are not what statements are about. ..But it would be wrong to identify 'fact' and 'true statement' for these expressions have different roles in our language.

Gist of Idea

Facts aren't exactly true statements, but they are what those statements say

Source

Peter F. Strawson (Truth [1950], §2)

Book Reference

'The Nature of Truth', ed/tr. Lynch, Michael P. [MIT 2001], p.453


A Reaction

Personally I like to reserve the word 'facts' for what is out there, independent of any human thought or speech. As a realist, I believe that the facts are quite independent of our attempts to understand the facts. True statements attempt to state facts.

Related Idea

Idea 18916 Facts are not in the world - they are properties of the world [Engelbretsen]