Theories of Truth
“The sole philosophy open to those who doubt the
possibility of truth is absolute silence – even mental.”
– Jacques Maritain
The “Correspondence” Theory:
 the oldest, best-known theory
 argues that there is a relationship – a
“correspondence” – between people’s internal
beliefs and the things in the world around them;
truth results when one’s beliefs and perceptions
“correspond” to the “real world”
 truth (and falsehood) can’t exist without beliefs –
a world without thoughts, in which only matter
exists, is a world in which “truth” is meaningless
 promoted by Russell; others argue it is too
limited and covers only a narrow range of
possible “truth” situations
The “Coherence” Theory:
 argues that a belief is true if it is consistent with an existing belief or body of
knowledge
 fits well with science, where theories are adopted or abandoned depending on how
well they “fit” (or explain) the facts
 promoted by Hegel; others argue it cannot guarantee truth, but only that a system of
thought “hangs together”
The “Pragmatic” Theory:
 argues that a belief is true if it “works”: i.e. it is useful in helping one successfully meet
and solve the problems in life
 also fits well with science, where theories are valued mainly depending on their
ability to predict useful results
 promoted by James, Peirce, and Dewey; others (e.g. Rorty) argue that truth and
“usefulness” are not the same thing