be·lief [bi-leef]1. confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof: a statement unworthy of belief
knowl·edge [nol-ij] 1. the fact or state of knowing; the perception of fact or truth; clear and certain mental apprehension.
truth [trooth] 1. a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like: mathematical truths.
Belief, knowledge, and truth are three subjects that could represent the status of a principle's validity, but what's the difference and which one makes the principle more or less valid? Belief is the source for all of them. Belief could be a hypothesis, a theory, or just a feeling, even. It’s what you think to be true. Sometimes, if we’re lucky, what we believe turns out to be true, though we may not know it yet. We can’t necessarily know something without us believing it or without it being true. If we know something, then it is proven, which obviously leaves us believing it. Now, there can be truth without us knowing it and without us believing it. Perhaps there is a higher being. Some don’t believe it; no one knows it. Which proves that truth can stand on its own, so can belief. Knowledge, however, must be true, and can also be considered a confirmation of our belief.
p.s.
I do not have a scanner, but I DO have a spiffy little webcam.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Belief, Truth, and Knowledge (3)
Posted by Aly at 9:18 PM
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1 comments:
Hilarious!!
Your diagram implies that in the realm of ultimate reality every single place where belief overlaps truth, we know that truth. I disagree with the implication of your diagram.
Take the Theory of Evolution as an example: Many people believe that this theory is true. According to your diagram, it would fit where the two circles (belief and truth) overlap; however, in your diagram if any theory is in this overlap section, it is known. Well is that true of evolution? People believe it and it might very well be true, but does anyone know for sure? I don't think so (many would disagree with me), so I think it would not fit on your diagram anywhere unless we drew a circle (knowledge) in the overlap section (like Plato's model). If we drew the circle in the overlap section, we could place evolution on the outside of that circle (if it's true). If we place it there, the diagram would suggest that evolution was a truth that many people believe but don't know that it's true. I wouldn't place it in the realm of knowledge because I don't think we know for sure.
Plato's main point seems to be that we only know a small bit of truth. Everything else is made up of beliefs and stuff we either don't believe or haven't considered.
I have no idea if my explanation helped. It made sense to me, but our understanding of how the diagram represents the relationship between the three may differ.
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