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Ideas for 'Philosophy', 'Events and Semantic Architecture' and 'Is There a Marxist Doctrine?'

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2 ideas

3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 3. Value of Truth
Most people won't question an idea's truth if they depend on it [Weil]
     Full Idea: The majority of human beings do not question the truth of an idea without which they would literally be unable to live.
     From: Simone Weil (Is There a Marxist Doctrine? [1943], p.163)
     A reaction: I assume that this inability grows stronger with age, as the dependence on the idea runs deeper. Hence for most people the beliefs which sustain them have a higher value than truth. Obviously we should all make love of truth our guiding idea!
3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 4. Uses of Truth
Truth is what unites, and the profound truths create a community [Jaspers]
     Full Idea: Truth is what unites. ...[p.145] The most profound truth is that which all men might understand so as to form one community.
     From: Karl Jaspers (Philosophy [1932], vol.2)
     A reaction: Nice slogan, for robust realists like me. The hallmark of truth is our convergence on it. This is a 20th century existentialist perfectly expounding the enlightenment dream. The best rhetoric is truthful rhetoric.