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RATIONAL TRUTH SEEKERS ONLY. www.sanityquestpublishing.com. OBJECTIVE TRUTH. Objective truth Subjective truth? Objective opinion? Subjective opinion? Objective reality? Subjective reality?. Objective: mind independent Subjective: mind dependent. Objective vs. Subjective what ?.
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OBJECTIVE TRUTH • Objective truth • Subjective truth? • Objective opinion? • Subjective opinion? • Objective reality? • Subjective reality?
Objective: mind independent Subjective: mind dependent
Objective vs. Subjectivewhat ? Truth ? Reality ? Facts ? Knowledge ? Information ? Statements ? Terms ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Operating System starting point
Starting point possibilities • Existence • of self • of the universe • of God • Assumption • Undeniability • Pragmatic necessity
I know I know nothing.
RATIONAL COPOUTS • pretending to know what you don’t know • pretending not to know what you know • deliberately misjudging probability • holding inconsistent premises
EMOTION Emotion is 1. the reason for reason 2. the biggest opponent of reason
EMOTION Get now ! Liberate ! stupid child REASON Watch budget . Restrict . smart guardian
Best possibleoperating system Subjective ?
Truth SeekerOperating System • fewest rational copouts • allows knowledge of the knowable • disallows false knowledge
Comfort SeekerOperating System • gratifies emotion • includes faith to cover post-mortem possibilities
Best possibleoperating system Subjective ?
Best possibleoperating system that which gives the greatest ratio of happiness over unhappiness for duration of existence
Now I’m selling it. TRUTH SEEKER OPERATING SYSTEM
OPINION ! Truth seeking is the most sensible thing a sentient being can do.
Operationally necessary I know. I think. I perceive. I emote (have emotions). Logic is reliable. Truth seeker assumptions
Hard wired I know. I think. I perceive. I emote. Operationally necessary assumptions Programmed Logic is reliable.
Primarysources of premises • Emotion • Observation
Sources of premises • Emotion • Observation • Reason • Authority
Authority has 2 prongs. • Coercive • Informative
Observation vs. Authority
Operationally necessary assumptionwithout sufficient data Bet.
Operationallyunnecessary assumption Maybe later.
Epistemology:the study of knowledge, and how things are known • objective: rules governing how things are known • subjective: a person's chosen rules Ontology:the study of being, and what things are
Observation vs. Authority again
Reason • observation • authority • emotion
Reason • Logic • Probability judgment
Logic Everything that is universally true of the relationships of variables. Exists epistemologically in laws. Exists ontologically in extension.
Laws of thought • Law of identity • Law of non-contradiction • Law of excluded middle
3 terms used in logicmajor, middle, minor Major premise: Minor premise: Conclusion: major term middle term = = = middle term minor term major term minor term
Probability • Probability • (arithmetical) • Probability judgment • (arithmetical or not)
My car will probably start. • age of battery • amount of driving time on battery • number of previous start ups • how long since last charge • amount of last charge • maintenance of battery • age of starter • etc. etc.
There are no rules governing non-mathematical probability judgment.
Probability judgment • More choice = less accurate. • influenced by emotion • Less choice = more accurate. • influenced by observation & reason
Truth seeker operating system • Determine operationally necessary assumptions. • Choose premises unemotionally. • Accumulate observed data. • Learn logic. • Learn critical thinking.
Critical thinking • Disambiguation • Terms • Statements
Ambiguous terms The prices are on the books. The books are on the table. The prices are on the table.
A = B. • All A = B. Kings are men. • Some A = B. Greeks are men. • This A = B. Socrates is a man. • All A generally = B. Kings are pragmatic. • Some A generally = B. Greeks are democratic. • This A generally = B.Socrates is rational.
Does A = B ? • Define A. • Define B. Question answered.