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A Critique Of Wiredu’s Concept Of Truth
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1.2 THE SEMANTIC THEORY OF TRUTH
This theory is re
presented in the vigorous works of Alfred Tarski on the problem of
truth. Going by this theory, a syntactical system ‘L’ becomes a
semantical system when the rules are given in its meta language ‘M’
which determines the necessary and sufficient truth condition for every
sentence of the system.
These rules, often embodied in a
recursive definition, lead to a definition of truth. And a condition of
adequacy for such a definition is expressed by means of what Tarski
calls the “Material Criterionâ€. The schema gives this criterion: X is
true if and only if P cover P stand, for any sentences of the given
language and X for the name of that sentences.5
Also,
Tarski is quick to point out that the definition of truth must not only
be materially adequate but also formally correct, that is, it must not
lead to contradiction.
Using Tarski’s own example, if P is
taken to stand for show is white, then the equivalence schema “T’ while d
is true. “The sentence show is white is true if and only if snow is
whiteâ€. 6
In Tarski’s View, however the schema is not taken as
providing a complete definition of truth. Tarski conceives of it as a
given necessary condition of a truth7
Viewed in this
perspective, one is inclined to that Tarski semantic theory of truth is
another version of the correspondence of truth. It gives truth as
objective character, pointing out that truth is an objective standard
against which any sentence or statement is judge to be or not to be the
case. Hence, the many criticisms that have been leveled on Tarski’s
theory centre “correspondence with factâ€. Ideals, common to all
objectivistic theories of truth, yet as proper observes Tarski’s
theories has “Rehabilitated the correspondence theory of absolute or
objectiveâ€. 8
Similarly, though Tarski tried no cover all
his theory with the clock of a meta – language, thereby arguing that
truth cannot be adequ0ately defined in natural language, it is true as
Donald Davidson observers that Tarski theory applies to English.
Generally then, then, the semantic theory have come to be regarded as
‘Objectivistics’ and taken to be a version of the correspondence theory
of truth.
1.3.THE CORRESPONDENCE THEORY OF TRUTH
Wiredu attempts
to establish his thesis that truth is opinion comes by way of story
rejection of the objectivistic theory of truth. According to this theory
in make sense to say that a man’s opinion may change but it is
meaningless nonsense to say that the truth it self may. Once a
preposition is true, it is true in itself and forever. Truth in other
words is timeless, eternal9 Wiredu see the objectivistic theory of truth
as “An intellectualized submission of the primitive passions of the
soulâ€. As he puts it:
“I must confess that the objectivist conception
of truth of ten strives are as a intellectual submission of some what
more primitive passions of the human soul10.
The term “
Correspondence†circulates among modern writers and this is largely
through the influence of Bertrend Russell some forming of correspondence
between belief and fact11. This is as against the absolute idealist,
who holds that truth consist in coherence. The correspondence theory is
an objectivist theory in that is holds that truth of a statement is
independent our opinion and “Consist in a relation, according to
behaviour, which holds between statements’12. For a better understanding
of our subject a brief historical survey would be necessary to
better. Show how different people have understood the theory at
different times.
The origin of the word “Correspondence
“used to denote the relating between though and reality in which the
truth of though consists appears to be medical. Aquinas used the word in
this sense when be asserted that ‘Truth is the adequation of things
and the intellectâ€. 13
Other scholastics sometimes said
that a preposition is true when, and only when the thing is as
signified. This is the nerve of the correspondence theory of truth.14
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