On Fri, 12 Oct 2001, Rick Adams wrote:
> Michael Sylvester wrote:
>
> > is there a distinction between truth and fact?
>
> Quite a bit.
>
> Example:
>
> Fact: The Earth is approximately 24,000 miles in diameter at the
> Equator.
>
> Truth: The Earth is a big place.
>
> In the former case, the statement is both testable and
> verifiable; in the latter case it is subject to interpretation--what is
> "big" to one person may not be so to another.
>
> > I would imagine if a schizophrenic sees a pink elephant
> > that would be a fact,
>
> The _statement_ that "a schizophrenic stated s/he saw a pink
> elephant" would be a fact, but not the statement that s/he saw one. That
> statement may be "truth," but clearly it is not a fact.
>
> > but no pink elephants exist in nature.
>
> This is the reason the previous statement is NOT a fact. If,
> instead, the schizophrenic DID see an elephant (at a zoo) that had been
> painted pink for a special event, then it _would_ be a fact since it
> could be independently verified.
>
> Consider a fact to be analogous with a (true) empirical
> statement; it can be demonstrated and tested. Consider truth to be
> analogous with a (true) normative statement; it cannot be "proven"
> scientifically.
So, the distinguishing fact between a fact and truth is that the former is
measureable and the latter is not? If I read you right, than does
psychology deal with fact or truth? After all, emotions such as fear,
phobia, pain, anger, love, passion are as measureable as is the diameter
of the earth.
Make it a good day.
--Louis--
Louis Schmier www.therandomthoughts.com
Department of History www.halcyon.com/arborhts/louis.html
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA 31698 /~\ /\ /\
229-333-5947 /^\ / \ / /~\ \ /~\__/\
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