"What is truth?" said jesting Pilate, and would not stay for an answer. Pilate was in advance of his time. For "truth" itself is an abstract noun, a camel, that is, of a logical construction, which cannot get past the eye even of a grammarian. We approach it cap and categories in hand: we ask ourselves whether Truth is a substance (the Truth, the Body of Knowledge), or a quality (something like the colour red, inhering in truths), or a relation ("correspondence"). But philosophers should take something more nearly their own size to strain at. What needs discussing rather is the use, or certain uses, of the word "true." In vino, possibly, "veritas," but in a sober symposium "verum."
Certainly ordinary language has no claim to be the last word, if there is such a thing. - J. L. Austin
Certainly ordinary language has no claim to be the last word, if there is such a thing.
- J. L. Austin
But surely, speaking carefully, we do not sense 'red' and 'blue' any more than 'resemblance' (or 'qualities' any more than 'relations'): we sense som… - J. L. Austin
But surely, speaking carefully, we do not sense 'red' and 'blue' any more than 'resemblance' (or 'qualities' any more than 'relations'): we sense som…
There are more ways of killing a cat than drowning it in butter; but this is the sort of thing (as the proverb indicates) we overlook: there are more… - J. L. Austin
There are more ways of killing a cat than drowning it in butter; but this is the sort of thing (as the proverb indicates) we overlook: there are more…
Infelicity is an ill to which all acts are heir which have the general character of ritual or ceremonial, all conventional acts. - J. L. Austin
Infelicity is an ill to which all acts are heir which have the general character of ritual or ceremonial, all conventional acts.
It should be quite clear, then, that there are no criteria to be laid down in general for distinguishing the real from the not real. - J. L. Austin
It should be quite clear, then, that there are no criteria to be laid down in general for distinguishing the real from the not real.
However well equipped our language, it can never be forearmed against all possible cases that may arise and call for description: fact is richer than… - J. L. Austin
However well equipped our language, it can never be forearmed against all possible cases that may arise and call for description: fact is richer than…
Usually it is uses of words, not words in themselves, that are properly called vague. - J. L. Austin
Usually it is uses of words, not words in themselves, that are properly called vague.
In the one defense, briefly, we accept responsibility but deny that it was bad: in the other, we admit that it was bad but don't accept full, or even… - J. L. Austin
In the one defense, briefly, we accept responsibility but deny that it was bad: in the other, we admit that it was bad but don't accept full, or even…
Fact is richer than diction. - J. L. Austin
Fact is richer than diction.
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