It's really hard to get everybody to agree on something. Yet, at the same time, all rational adults will agree that there is such a thing as objective truth, which does not depend on anybody's opinion. Whatever is true is true regardless of whether we can all agree. But we're all starting from our own subjective perspective, so how can we ever figure out what is really true, including the fact that truth itself exists independently of our opinions?
That's why we need to start with an assumption: OBJECTIVITY exist.
We must call this statement an assumption as there is no way to prove that there is such a thing as objectivity! As individuals, each of us is presenting subjective views to others, no matter how we do it. It's a kind of paradox: we all claim that there is such a thing as truth, regardless of our opinions, but that statement itself is just an opinion.
The only way to break that paradox is to start with that assumption that some statements can indeed be assigned objective truth values, which do not depend on our opinion. Only then can we attempt to figure out what these truth values are.
Therefore, the first step is not about truth values; it is about CATEGORIZING!
Did you notice how we specified that some, not all, statement can be assigned truth values? This distinction is essential. Not all statements can be found to be objectively true, or not. Statements that are not objectively verifiable will thus be labeled as 'SUBJECTIVE' in the World of Facts.
This applies to EVERYTHING we can talk about; it's much more than just philosophy.
Whether we're looking at some breaking news or description of some historical event, or whether we're detailing some scientific findings or listening to politicians suggesting some course of action, every single statement comes from someone, a person, and may or may not be labeled as objective, regardless of their intentions.
People who disagree often talk past each other because they did not start on common grounds.
The World of Facts will make debating opinions better by making sure that participants start with the same set of principles and facts. Clarifying what we are talking about before getting to arguments can go a long way to foster a more productive conversational environment. This is why, even before discussing what is true, we must first ask whether we are discussing facts or opinions, whether we are trying to assess what is objectively true or debating a subjective point of view.
Comments
Post a Comment
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!