(June 5, 2016 at 1:44 pm)mh.brewer Wrote:(June 5, 2016 at 1:33 pm)SteveII Wrote: I don't quite know what your point about the sun rising is. Are you trying to deliberately fine an example where the meaning of the verb is not really the meaning we ascribe to the sun's movement? If so, you are merely pointing out word choices and are not proving any point about whether a truth is relative or absolute. The sun does not rise, never has and never will. It does not change anything if you say and I understand what you mean that the sun will rise tomorrow.
Regarding the book, "on" has a definition. The book being on the table is either true or not. No subjectivity. If you start talking about "negative ions" "gravity" and other analysis of the word "on", you are merely defining the word. The burden of defining all the words in every sentence we say or write would become unbearable--that's why we came up with the word on to represent that concept.
You didn't like "always" so I eliminated it. Now you don't like "rises". For anyone that would have considered either sentence a "truth" (and I know some) by your own comments you have shown that "truth" can be subjective and relative.
So, there ya go. Truth is subjective and relative based on conditional definition(s).
I'm not sure I understand why you resist. Is the concept of subjective truth life altering for you?
We don't have to agree, but by doing so that makes truth subjective.
We all know people who don't or don't care to know the the philosophical distinctions. I thought a thread discussing the idea of absolute truth is a good place to make distinctions.
BTW, nothing I said supports a relativistic view about the truth of a statement or proposition. Defining a word correctly in no way makes the truth of a statement conditional nor subjective. If I am not precise in my reply, how long do you think it will take for one of the many people who enjoy the drive-by snipes to fill a page?
It seems you are confusing imprecision of language with the question whether truth is subjective. If you think the truth of a statement is subjective, you should be able to give an example and explain why it is subjective.
