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Re: Truth, Knowledge, Power
Richard G. Calo (rgcalo@EDEN.RUTGERS.EDU)
Sun, 21 Apr 1996 21:44:47 EDT
Hi Gary. On Saturday, April 20, you wrote:
> Following your processual model for "truth exposing" in a societal
> context, would you state that truth is entirely a conscious, expressive
> behaviour with physical and/or formal properties (although not
> necessarily requiring a particular form) or a mental stream of thoughts
> that can subsist independently of consciousness?
I don't know about it being "entirely" a conscious, expressive behavior,
but I think maybe there may be some properties which are behavioral,
whether these are linked to consciousness (this does not mean the
alternative is a stream of thoughts that can subsist independently of
consciousness), or not. I am thinking of the way we act-- often, not
always-- when we think we're right. There is a kind of conviction in our
actions which tends to remove hesitancy from those actions. Conversely,
when we act without conviction, that hesitancy may be there. I don't know,
though, and I'm not even sure any of this could be demonstrated, although
gauging hesitancy might be an interesting way to try. It may be that there is
a correlation between the development of truth, as our increasing
conviction about a set of propositons (or whatever) and their ongoing
internalization, and the type of action that may appear along with it.
One thing I do reject however (and does this mean I am convinced, and
therefore accept its truth?-- there's a problem here no matter how I look at
it), is the idea that truth is an independent entity which has anything like
a platonic nature that is given to humans through some kind of 'divine
agency.'
Richard
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