1. MIDTERM EXAMINATION THE MIDTERM EXAMINATION WILL BE ON FRIDAY, MAY 2, IN THIS CLASSROOM, STARTING AT 1:00 P.M. BRING A BLUE BOOK. THE EXAM WILL COVER: CHAPTER 1 (i.e., INTRODUCTION, pp. 1-22), CHAPTERS 2, 3, 5, 6 (IN PART), AND THE ASSIGNED READINGS (EXCEPT FOR THE SPINOZA AND BRADLEY EXCERPTS).

2. LECTURE 10 OBJECTIVITY

3. OBJECTIVE TRUTH • THE COMMONSENSE WESTERN METAPHYSIC SHOULD (PERHAPS) BE TAKEN TO INVOLVE A BELIEF IN OBJECTIVE TRUTH. • WHAT OBJECTIVE TRUTH IS NOT: (A) OBECTIVE TRUTH IS NOT THE SAME AS CERTAINTY OR EVEN KNOWLEDGE. (B) OBJECTIVE TRUTH IS NOT “WHAT IS TRUE FOR YOU” OR “WHAT IS TRUE FOR ME.”

4. SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN OBJECTIVE TRUTH DOESN’T HAVE TO CLAIM TO KNOW WHICH THINGS ARE OBJECTIVELY TRUE. “THERE IS LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS” MAY BE OBJECTIVELY TRUE (IF NOT: “THERE IS NO LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS” IS OBJECTIVELY TRUE).

5. THE NOTION EXPLAINED SUPPOSE WE CONFINE OUR DISCUSSION TO BELIEFS (OTHER THINGS MAY BE TRUE OR FALSE AS WELL: ASSERTIONS, SENTENCES, THOUGHTS). “A BELIEF IS EITHER (OBJECTIVELY) TRUE OR (OBECTIVELY) FALSE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE WORLD IS. BELIEFS (OR PERCEPTIONS) DO NOT CAUSE THE WORLD TO BE A CERTAIN WAY.”

6. MEANINGLESS BELIEFS AND VAGUE BELIEFS SOME BELIEFS MAY BE MEANINGLESS. HEIDIGGER CLAIMED TO BELIEVE THAT “THE NOTHING NOTHIINGS.” MAYBE HE HAD SOMETHING IN MIND WHICH CAN BE TRUE OR FALSE, BUT HE HAS NOT COMMUNICATED IT VERY WELL.” SUCH “BELIEFS” MAY NOT BE EITHER TRUE OR FALSE.

7. VAGUE BELIEFS “ANDERSON WAS TALL” AT ONE TIME I WAS 5 FEET 11½ INCHES TALL. WAS I TALL? SOME BELIEFS MAY BE NEITHER TRUE NOR FALSE BECAUSE OF VAGUENESS. EXCLUDING MEANINGLESS AND VAGUE BELIEFS, IT IS CLAIMED BY THE “REALIST” (ABOUT TRUTH) THAT SOME (OR PERHAPS ALL) BELIEFS ARE EITHER OBJECTIVELY TRUE OR OBJECTIVLEY FALSE.

8. A PUZZLE ABOUT ANTI-REALISM (AR) “NO BELIEFS ARE OBJECTIVELY TRUE.”