Pragmatism emphasizes the practical role of knowledge, focusing on how it serves our everyday needs and inquiries. It distinguishes between different types of knowledge, such as "knowledge-that,"
Knowledge-How: means knowing how to do and accomplish something. This involves skills or, at least, abilities.
Fortune cookies: Under the correspondence theory of truth, fortune cookies can be an example. While fortune cookies are believed to be written as a 'fortune,' for predicting an individual's future, for the most part I believe that they predict broad messages, to correspond to some state of affairs. In the correspondence theory and fortune cookies, their truth is a relationship between statements, which can sometimes be considered 'true,' or factual.
This article states that out of 1,035 analyzed fortune cookies, only 22.3% of the cookies made predictions on the future. The rest, simply claimed good fortune about a person such as, "You are wise."
Mathematical abilities: The coherence theory of truth bases the truth of a belief on the degree to which it coheres - or aligns - with all other beliefs in a system of beliefs. One example would be a popular set of beliefs - if everyone else agrees that something is the truth, then it must be so. In mathematics, truths are either true by definition, or are derived from those definitions. Mathematical knowledge is advanced when incoherent conclusions are produced. Then, mathematicians work to develop new knowledge, to produce coherent conclusions.
Knowledge-That: is a propositional knowledge and a declarative knowledge. It is the kind of knowledge present whenever there is knowledge of fact or truth.
Theory of Gravity: The coherence theory of truth, views truth as coherent within a set of propositions or beliefs. For example, many people believe in the Theory of Gravity. However, gravity has not been fully proven to exist. People spend great sums of money, and use resources to try to prove that gravity exists. However, this scientific 'theory' is viewed as being 'true,' as many people agree on this accepted truth.
This article provides a scientific explanation of the theory of gravity.
Predicting the weather: The correspondence theory of truth at the core, states that something is true when it corresponds to some state of affair. This state of affair, is truly what grants truth or falsehood in a statement, depending on whether that state obtains to it or not. So, if I predict the weather to be rain outside right now, that sentence can be considered to be true, as there is a possibility that it is actually raining. However, if it is not raining, that statement is considered false.
Knowledge-Wh: includes the questions whether, who, why, what and is also a propositional knowledge.
The sun is larger than the earth: Under the coherence theory of truth, a real world example is the belief that the sun is larger than the earth. This is a very popular belief, in which most people agree with. This is also an example of propositional knowledge, as it is descriptive knowledge, and a common understanding.
This article explains the factual evidence behind the theory that the sun is larger than the earth.
Theory of evolution: The pragmatic theory of truth states that you are not able to to understand truths, until you conceive how this belief effects others, and matters within the world. Often times, to prove the theory of evolution, people must explain the significance of the theory in every aspect: such as who, what, and why. To understand evolution, one must understand the importance of the theory for people, within the world.
This article explains the evolution, as well as the origin of the theory.
Knowledge by Acquaintance: is obtained through a direct causal (experience-based) interaction between a person and the object that person is perceiving.
Climate Change: A pragmatic theory of truth contends that one cannot conceive of the truth of a belief without also being able to conceive of how, if true, that belief matters in the world. So, to understanding climate change, one must be able to conceive how their personal actions effect this belief. For example, people must recognize the amounts of greenhouse gases emitted by humans, to fully understand this theory.
This article explains climate change, and the effects humans have on the earth.
A house pet: The correspondence theory of truth, states that the truth or falsity of a statement is determined only by how it relates to the world and whether it accurately describes, or corresponds, with that world. An example of this theory, is that you have a dog laying on their bed. When you look, a dog exists. A dog bed exists. The dog is in 'relation' to the bed. Thus, the statement “corresponds” to the state of the world, and is therefore considered true.
