How Do We Know Something Is True?

[ablprop]

Read The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch. Based on what you've written about your search for meaning, I think you would like it very much.

His premise is that we create knowledge by developing what he calls good explanations.

Through conjecture, criticism, and testing, our explanations get better and better, but never reach a final truth. Our knowledge will always be imperfect. We are always at the beginning of infinity.

From the final chapter of the book - science moves from misconception to better misconception. So Einstein's misconception of gravity improved on Newton's misconception, which improved on Kepler's.

Deutsch, I think, would say that we can be confident we are approaching (but never reaching) truth when our explanations improve over time.

[pytheas]

Read The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch.
His premise is that we create knowledge by developing what he calls good explanations.

Through conjecture, criticism, and testing, our explanations get better and better, but never reach a final truth. Our knowledge will always be imperfect. We are always at the beginning of infinity....

-ever closer approximation
-ever higher resolution

for intent and purpose on the day it does suffice

essential though is the assurance that it is verifiable, corresponding and attested, communal "make believe"

as good old Soc put it, know that you know nothing, possibly because there may be nothing to be known apart from nothingness

[Happy_Is_Good]

I, in my finite mind, could not possibly KNOW the truth. I often wonder what life would be like if I could obtain absolute truth in its purest form.....

Your thoughts?

This is mysticism, don't ya' think?  "Absolute Truth in its purest form?" - this sounds like Plato's Theory of Forms.