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Single Idea 4525

[filed under theme 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 8. Facts / e. Facts rejected ]

Full Idea

Against positivism, which halts at phenomena, and says "there are only facts", I would say: No, facts is precisely what there is not, only interpretations.

Gist of Idea

There are no facts in themselves, only interpretations

Source

Friedrich Nietzsche (The Will to Power (notebooks) [1888], §481)

Book Ref

Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'The Will to Power', ed/tr. Kaufmann,W /Hollingdate,R [Vintage 1968], p.267

A Reaction

A cornerstone of relativism is the denial of facts. A cornerstone of realism is the affirmation of facts. Personally, I affirm facts.

The 4 ideas with the same theme [denial of such things as objective 'facts']:

4525 There are no facts in themselves, only interpretations [Nietzsche]
4543 There are no 'facts-in-themselves', since a sense must be projected into them to make them 'facts' [Nietzsche]
23285 If we try to identify facts precisely, they all melt into one (as the Slingshot Argument proves) [Davidson]
8313 Facts are needed for truth-making and causation, but they seem to lack identity criteria [Lowe]