back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 6332

[from 'Truth (2nd edn)' by Paul Horwich, in 3. Truth / C. Correspondence Truth / 3. Correspondence Truth critique ]

Full Idea

The common-sense notion that truth is a kind of 'correspondence with the facts' has never been worked out to anyone's satisfaction.

Gist of Idea

The common-sense theory of correspondence has never been worked out satisfactorily

Source

Paul Horwich (Truth (2nd edn) [1990], Ch.1)

Book Reference

Horwich,Paul: 'Truth (2nd edn)' [OUP 1998], p.1


A Reaction

I've put this in to criticise it. Philosophy can't work by rejecting theories which can't be 'worked out', and accepting theories (like Tarski's) because they can be 'worked out'. All our theories will end up minimal, and defiant of common sense.