more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
Coherence cannot be accepted as the meaning of truth, though it is often a most important test of truth after a certain amount of truth has become known.
Gist of Idea
Coherence is not the meaning of truth, but an important test for truth
Source
Bertrand Russell (Problems of Philosophy [1912], Ch.12)
Book Ref
Russell,Bertrand: 'The Problems of Philosophy' [OUP 1995], p.71
A Reaction
The coherence theory is in fact a confusion of epistemology and ontology. Compare Idea 1364, where Reid charges Locke with confusing the test for personal identity with the thing itself. I wonder if refusal to accept essences causes this problem?
Related Ideas
Idea 1364 Locke confuses the test for personal identity with the thing itself [Reid on Locke]
Idea 21326 Locke's memory theory of identity confuses personal identity with the test for it [Reid on Locke]
| 5423 | If we suspend the law of contradiction, nothing will appear to be incoherent [Russell] |
| 5424 | Coherence is not the meaning of truth, but an important test for truth [Russell] |
| 5422 | More than one coherent body of beliefs seems possible [Russell] |
| 2766 | Even with a tight account of coherence, there is always the possibility of more than one set of coherent propositions [Dancy,J] |
| 6083 | The coherence theory of truth implies idealism, because facts are just coherent beliefs [McGinn] |
| 4745 | Any coherent set of beliefs can be made more coherent by adding some false beliefs [Engel] |
| 15334 | The coherence theory allows multiple coherent wholes, which could contradict one another [Horsten] |
| 19083 | How do you identify the best coherence set; and aren't there truths which don't cohere? [Young,JO] |