more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
It is not on account of our truly thinking that you are white that you are white; rather it is on account of your being white that we who assert as much are telling the truth.
Gist of Idea
Truth-thinking does not make it so; it being so is what makes it true
Source
Aristotle (Metaphysics [c.324 BCE], 1051b10)
Book Ref
Aristotle: 'Metaphysics', ed/tr. Lawson-Tancred,Hugh [Penguin 1998], p.281
A Reaction
Some philosophers say this makes truth a derivative property, and is central to truth-maker theories. Kit Fine claims the reverse - that things exist because of the truths - but I don't really understand that (or agree with it).
Related Idea
Idea 12216 Real objects are those which figure in the facts that constitute reality [Fine,K]
| 15775 | Truth-thinking does not make it so; it being so is what makes it true [Aristotle] |
| 5777 | The truth or falsehood of a belief depends upon a fact to which the belief 'refers' [Russell] |
| 18487 | We want to know what makes sentences true, rather than defining 'true' [McFetridge] |
| 18531 | Philosophers of the past took the truthmaking idea for granted [Heil] |
| 18344 | Truth and falsehood must track what does or doesn't exist [Bigelow] |
| 18484 | Phenomenalists, behaviourists and presentists can't supply credible truth-makers [MacBride] |
| 18335 | There are five problems which the truth-maker theory might solve [Rami] |
| 18334 | The truth-maker idea is usually justified by its explanatory power, or intuitive appeal [Rami] |