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Full Idea
I take it as evident that the truth or falsehood of a belief depends upon a fact to which the belief 'refers'.
Gist of Idea
The truth or falsehood of a belief depends upon a fact to which the belief 'refers'
Source
Bertrand Russell (On Propositions: What they are, and Meaning [1919], p.285)
Book Ref
Russell,Bertrand: 'Logic and Knowledge', ed/tr. Marsh,Robert Charles [Routledge 1956], p.285
A Reaction
A nice bold commitment to a controversial idea. The traditional objection is to ask how you are going to formulate the 'facts' except in terms of more beliefs, so you ending up comparing beliefs. Facts are a metaphysical commitment, not an acquaintance.
| 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] |