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Single Idea 7395

[from 'Problems of Philosophy' by Bertrand Russell, in 3. Truth / C. Correspondence Truth / 1. Correspondence Truth ]

Full Idea

If truth is congruence between a complex belief and a complex relation between objects in the world, this may work for Othello's belief about Desdemona, but it doesn't seem to work for the simple belief that an object exists.

Clarification

'Congruent' things are the same shape

Gist of Idea

Truth as congruence may work for complex beliefs, but not for simple beliefs about existence

Source

comment on Bertrand Russell (Problems of Philosophy [1912], Ch.12) by Jack Joslin - talk


A Reaction

Though Russell has an interesting and persuasive theory, this seems like a big problem. To have a complex belief about a complex of objects, you must first have beliefs about the objects (and that can't be acquaintance, because error is possible).