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Single Idea 10841

[filed under theme 3. Truth / F. Semantic Truth / 2. Semantic Truth ]

Full Idea

It is of prime importance to distinguish the fact that the use of 'true' always glances backwards or forwards to the actual or envisaged making of a statement by someone.

Gist of Idea

The word 'true' always refers to a possible statement

Source

Peter F. Strawson (Truth [1950], §1)

Book Ref

'The Nature of Truth', ed/tr. Lynch, Michael P. [MIT 2001], p.449


A Reaction

'The truth of this matter will never be known'. Strawson is largely right, but it is crazy for any philosopher to use the word 'always' if they can possibly avoid it.


The 20 ideas from Peter F. Strawson

It makes no sense to ask of some individual thing what it is that makes it that individual [Strawson,P]
We need a logical use of 'object' as predicate-worthy, and an 'ontological' use [Strawson,P]
Descriptive metaphysics aims at actual structure, revisionary metaphysics at a better structure [Strawson,P]
Descriptive metaphysics concerns unchanging core concepts and categories [Strawson,P]
Close examination of actual word usage is the only sure way in philosophy [Strawson,P]
I can only apply consciousness predicates to myself if I can apply them to others [Strawson,P]
A person is an entity to which we can ascribe predicates of consciousness and corporeality [Strawson,P]
The idea of a predicate matches a range of things to which it can be applied [Strawson,P]
Reference is mainly a social phenomenon [Strawson,P, by Sainsbury]
If an expression can refer to anything, it may still instrinsically refer, but relative to a context [Bach on Strawson,P]
'The present King of France is bald' presupposes existence, rather than stating it [Strawson,P, by Grayling]
Russell asks when 'The King of France is wise' would be a true assertion [Strawson,P]
Expressions don't refer; people use expressions to refer [Strawson,P]
If an utterance fails to refer then it is a pseudo-use, though a speaker may think they assert something [Strawson,P]
The meaning of an expression or sentence is general directions for its use, to refer or to assert [Strawson,P]
There are no rules for the exact logic of ordinary language, because that doesn't exist [Strawson,P]
The word 'true' always refers to a possible statement [Strawson,P]
The fact which is stated by a true sentence is not something in the world [Strawson,P]
Facts aren't exactly true statements, but they are what those statements say [Strawson,P]
The statement that it is raining perfectly fits the fact that it is raining [Strawson,P]