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Single Idea 18974
[filed under theme 11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 5. Aiming at Truth
]
Full Idea
Truth is one species of good, and not, as is usually supposed, a category distinct from good, and co-ordinate with it. The true is whatever proves itself to be good in the way of belief, and good, too, for definite, assignable reasons.
Gist of Idea
Truth is a species of good, being whatever proves itself good in the way of belief
Source
William James (Pragmatism - eight lectures [1907], Lec 2)
Book Ref
James,William: 'Pragmatism - eight lectures' [Dover 1995], p.30
A Reaction
The trouble is that false optimism can often often be what is 'good in the way of belief'. That said, I think quite a good way to specify 'truth' is 'success in belief', but I mean intrinsically successful, not pragmatically successful.
The
20 ideas
from 'Pragmatism - eight lectures'
18972
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Ideas are true in so far as they co-ordinate our experiences
[James]
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18973
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New opinions count as 'true' if they are assimilated to an individual's current beliefs
[James]
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18974
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Truth is a species of good, being whatever proves itself good in the way of belief
[James]
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18971
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Theories are practical tools for progress, not answers to enigmas
[James]
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18976
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Private experience is the main evidence for God
[James]
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18975
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We return to experience with concepts, where they show us differences
[James]
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18978
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It is hard to grasp a cosmic mind which produces such a mixture of goods and evils
[James]
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18977
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The wonderful design of a woodpecker looks diabolical to its victims
[James]
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18979
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Things with parts always have some structure, so they always appear to be designed
[James]
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18980
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If there is a 'greatest knower', it doesn't follow that they know absolutely everything
[James]
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18981
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'Substance' is just a word for groupings and structures in experience
[James]
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18982
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Pragmatism says all theories are instrumental - that is, mental modes of adaptation to reality
[James]
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18985
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True thoughts are just valuable instruments of action
[James]
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18986
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Truth is just a name for verification-processes
[James]
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18984
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True ideas are those we can assimilate, validate, corroborate and verify (and false otherwise)
[James]
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18983
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In many cases there is no obvious way in which ideas can agree with their object
[James]
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18987
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A 'thing' is simply carved out of reality for human purposes
[James]
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18989
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Pragmatism accepts any hypothesis which has useful consequences
[James]
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18991
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If the God hypothesis works well, then it is true
[James]
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18990
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Nirvana means safety from sense experience, and hindus and buddhists are just afraid of life
[James]
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