back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 12129

[from 'Reflections on my Critics' by Thomas S. Kuhn, in 3. Truth / H. Deflationary Truth / 2. Deflationary Truth ]

Full Idea

'Truth' may, like 'proof', be a term with only intra-theoretic applications.

Gist of Idea

'Truth' may only apply within a theory

Source

Thomas S. Kuhn (Reflections on my Critics [1970], §5)

Book Reference

'Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge', ed/tr. Lakatos,I. /Musgrave,A. [CUP 1974], p.266


A Reaction

I think we can blame Tarski (via Quine, Kuhn's teacher) for this one. I take it to be an utter failure to grasp the meaning of the word 'truth' (and sneakily substituting 'satisfaction' for it). For a start, we have to compare theories on some basis.