Single Idea 4745

[catalogued under 3. Truth / D. Coherence Truth / 2. Coherence Truth Critique]

Full Idea

Any coherent set of beliefs can be made more coherent by adding to it one or more false beliefs.

Gist of Idea

Any coherent set of beliefs can be made more coherent by adding some false beliefs

Source

Pascal Engel (Truth [2002], §1.3)

Book Reference

Engel,Pascal: 'Truth' [Acumen 2002], p.27


A Reaction

A simple but rather devastating point. It is the policeman manufacturing a bogus piece of evidence to clinch the conviction, the scientist faking a single observation to fill in the last corner of a promising theory.