INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

OF THE HUMAN PERSON

DISTINGUISH OPINION FROM

TRUTH
 OPINION VS. TRUTH

“ THE TRUTH” DUMBLEDORE SIGNED, “IT IS A

BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIBLE THING, AND
SHOULD TREATED WITH GREAT CAUTION.”
I.K Rowling

Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone

 ALL OPINION ARE NOT EQUAL.
SOME ARE A VERY GREAT DEAL
MORE ROBUST, SOPHISTICATED
AND WELL SUPPORTED IN LOGIC
AND ARGUMENT THAN OTHERS.
Douglas Adams
The Salmon of Doubt

(group activity)
 WHAT IS TRUTH?

- “WHAT DO WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY “SOMETHING IS

TRUE?”

- WE OFTEN SAY THAT SOMETHING IS TRUE BECAUSE

IT IS BASED ON FACTS.

- SOMETHING IS FACTUAL WHEN IT IS SCIENTIFICALLY

PROVEN.
 “A STUDY FROM JAYWARD
PITKIN UNIVERSITY SHOWS
THAT 95% OF MEN AND WOMEN
WHO ARE TALLER THAN THE
AVERAGE HEIGHT ARE MORE
LIKELY TO BECOME
SUCCESSFUL AND HAPPY IN
THEIR CAREERS.”
 OBJECTIVE TRUTH

- “STATE OF AFFAIRS” – WHICH

REMAIN TRUE REGARDLESS OF
WHO IS VIEWING IT.
 SCIENTIFIC VS. RELIGION
(FACTS vs. UNVERIFIED THEORIES)

ONLY THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT

CAN BE VERIFIED ARE RATIONAL

ONLY THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN SCIENTIFIC

TRUTH IS RATIONAL
THINGS REMAIN TRUE EVEN UNVERIFIED

-LOVE

-LAWS

-FAMILY TIES
JURGEN HABERMAS (1979)
- IN HIS UNIVERSAL PRAGMATICS OR STUDY OF THE
STRUCTURE OF COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE SAY:

“ THAT APART FROM SCIENTIFIC

TRUTH THERE ARE DOMAINS IN LIFE IN
WHICH WE UNDERSTAND TRUTH
DIFFERENTLY”
 DOMAINS OF TRUTH
A.OBJECTIVE DOMAIN
- THIS PERTAINS TO THE NATURAL WORLD
THAT MAINTAINS A RELATIVE INDEPENDENCE
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE AND ATTITUDE OF
HUMAN BEING THAT PERCIEVE THEM.

EX. TYPHOON

BOILING POINT OF WATER

B. SOCIAL DOMAIN
- GENERAL AGREEMENT OR CONSENSUS ON
WHAT IS RIGHT AS OPPOSED TO WHAT IS WRONG
EX. CROWD ATTITUDE AT THE CHURCH AND AT
THE BASKETBALL COURT
C. PERSONAL DOMAIN
- IS TRUTH CONNECTED TO SINCERITY

EX. “ I AM TELLING THE TRUTH”

WHAT IS TRUTH?
 TRUTH AND JUSTIFICATION

TRUTH – PROCEDURES OF JUSTIFICATION

JUSTIFICATION – PROCESS OF PROVING THE

TRUTH OR VALIDITY OF A STATEMENT
A. OBJECTIVE DOMAIN
- TESTED AGAINST EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

B. SOCIAL DOMAIN
- TESTED AGAINST THE ACCEPTABILITY TO A
PARTICULAR GROUP IN A PARTICULAR TIME IN
HISTORY

C. PERSONAL DOMAIN
- TESTED AGAINST THE CONSISTENCY AND
AUTHENTICITY OF THE PERSON WHO CLAIMS IT.

(APPLICATION)
IN WHICH DOMAIN OF TRUTH THIS STATEMENTS
FALL?

A.“IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH, ‘TIL DEATH DO

US PART.”

B. REPTILES ARE COLD BLOODED.

C. “DON’T TALK WHEN YOUR MOUTH IS FULL.”