“How does one determine truthfulness? Or truth? Would “accurate” not be a better

—“How does one determine truthfulness? Or truth? Would “accurate” not be a better formulation? Can that be constructed?”—- Arthur K

One cannot knowingly speak the most parsimonious truth possible.

One can however perform such thorough due diligence that he can warranty that he speaks truthfully: meaning diligently free of error, bias, wishful thinking, suggestion, and deceit.

One can perform the following tests of due diligence, any of which can falsify his ideas:

1) categorical consistency (Identity)

2) internal consistency (logical)

3) external consistency (external correspondence)

4) existential consistency (operational language)

5) moral consistency (voluntary transfers)

6) full accounting

7) parsimony and limits (scope)

8) falsifiability.

If you pass all 8 of those hurdles then you speak as truthfully as is humanly (or even superhumanly) possible.

But it is quite an informative exercise to look at 100 papers or books in each discipline and ask which of these tests of due diligence is provided and which is not.

Almost everyone fails.

Truth is hard.

The question is why we permit verbal products in the informational commons and knowledge marketplace, but do not permit defective products or services in the physical commons and marketplace?

Curt Doolittle