no truth but fact

[ebihamedi]

Dear all,
I saw this sentence in a Japanese movie, which I really want to understand but cannot: "no truth but fact". When I check dictionary, it says fact is something that is “true”. So I cannot distinguish truth and fact. What does this sentence mean then?

Thanks,
Ebi.

 

[bhaisahab]

More context is needed to understand what was meant by that phrase.

 

[ebihamedi]

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, there was no context, just written on the wall (the english translation appeared in the subtitle). As you may know Asian traditional philosophies are replete with short and context-free messages. The name of the movie is after the rain. I am attaching a photo of teh scene.

 

[MikeNewYork]

It has been said that there are many facts in the world, but few truths.

 

[ebihamedi]

But what is fact? what is truth?

 

[MikeNewYork]

In my opinion, a fact is indisputable. A truth or truth varies over time and with people's opinions.

 

[Jaskin]

Hi,

But what is fact? what is truth?

Are your looking for an answer from linguistic point of view, usage, etymology, or more from philosophical perspective ?


Cheers

 

[Matthew Wai]

But what is fact? what is truth?

The Bible contains the truth, which some people do not deem the fact.

Not a teacher.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Many don't deem it the truth either.

 

[ebihamedi]

Originally posted by Jaskin: Are your looking for an answer from linguistic point of view, usage, etymology, or more from philosophical perspective ?

linguistic and usage

 

[ebihamedi]

The Bible contains the truth, which some people do not deem the fact.

Not a teacher.

Well, this usage is different from what MikeNewYork mentioned :"In my opinion, a fact is indisputable. A truth or truth varies over time and with people's opinions.". I believe Matthew Wai means that bible holds "timeless" truth. But, MikeNewYork believes that truth has an expiry date.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Or it is based on opinion.

 

[Matthew Wai]

But, MikeNewYork believes that truth has an expiry date.

In the believers' eyes, the truth will never expire.

Not a teacher.

 

[MikeNewYork]

How do you know that?

At one time, the earth was flat. At one time the earth was the center of the Universe. At one time space travel was impossible. Even believers can change their minds.

 

[Matthew Wai]

They are believers of conjectures rather than the truth.

Not a teacher.

 

[MikeNewYork]

So that begs the question, "What is the truth?"

 

[emsr2d2]

They are believers of conjectures rather than the truth.

Not a teacher.

Surely things that cannot be proved and touched and demonstrated are all conjecture. There is no more proof of a god than there was that the earth was flat. It's just something that some people think is true. I believe the Flat Earth Society still believe in that "truth".

 

[Jaskin]

H,
Please note I'm not a teacher not a native speaker;

Yes, it does. Both a conjecture and truth can be seen as a sentences or statement. What sentences are capable of being said to be truth is a different matter. If someone subscribes to the correspondence theory of truth then a true statement is a statement that would correspond to the fact, that is the assumed existing external reality we trying to describe. What is the case, the fact, we might not necessary know.

So in everyday language the word fact and truth are usually used as synonyms. Science presupposes the the external reality and the scientific method defines the criteria of truth, the facts are the observation, measurements and so on.

One might get the position of a pragmatic and say that what works may or may not be the truth, but what doesn't work is definitely not true.
One might take the position of a constructivist and say that it is the society that by defining the semantic of language decides what is true or false .

To repeat after A.Tarskki: 'The snow is white' is true when the snow is white.


Cheers.

Ps. Sorry if too verbose but I've been reading way too much about it recently. Please correct the grammar or any other language mistakes.

 

[Raymott]

The Bible contains the truth, which some people do not deem the fact.

That's not a fact; that's your opinion. But let's keep religion out of this.

 

[Matthew Wai]

that's your opinion.

Not only mine, but many's.

Not a teacher.