TOK: Summary of ideas pages 39-48 (Chap 2.2)

Chapter 2.2 outlines truth along with its three characteristics: Truth is Public, Truth is Independent and Truth is Eternal. The three tests of truth allow one to deeply look into your belief and study how true it is. The tests help to analyze your truth and create a result. Francis Bacon, a ToK pioneer, as well as a philosopher and politician, is known for his essay of Truth, and his two treaties, describing the relationship between the three main areas of knowledge: history, poetry and philosophy. Page 42 highlights the differences between Absolute and Relative truth. Plato believed in being certain before believing, and being absolute. However, many other philosophers believe that truth is relative, and there is no one truth or one reality. Absolute truth, is known as common sense, it either happened or it didn't happen. However, relative truth is said to be ones interpretation and perspective and therefore everyones truth differs. The Correspondence Theory, formulated by Plato and his Athenian friends, is a theory where ones belief of truth corresponds with reality. The Coherence Theory, shows that ones beliefs agree with everyone else belief creating one truth for all. Lastly, the Pragmatic Theory states that truth relates on our beliefs, and can be proved or disproved through our experiences and beliefs. . I believe, that there is only one truth, as it either happened or it didnt, however, individuals have their own opinions on whether they decide to believe something as being true or not. Therefore i believe in the Coherence Theory. The Relative Theory, is not convincing because something cannot be true for one but not for another. For example, the wall cannot be white for one or green for the other, it is true that the wall is just white. However, individuals can choose to believe or not, but that does not indicate that it never happened, that just shows that some choose to believe it did or didnt.