An Exposition of the Cognitive Problems in Rescher’s Coherentist Truth Criteriology

Anthony Raphael Etuk

doi:10.18535/ijsrm/v10i2.sh03

Abstract

Perhaps the most influential proposals in the recent literature on the problem of truth in epistemology is Rescher’s version of the coherence theory of truth. Daring to save the theory from sinking under the weights of traditional criticisms, Rescher adopts an approach that differs significantly from the traditional way of presenting the theory: He departs from the traditional definitional emphasis to the criterial route in determining truth under coherence considerations; and advances the process of validating coherence on pragmatic grounds. Adopting the expository, analytic and critical approaches of study, this paper takes a critical look at Rescher’s rebranded coherence theory of truth. It concludes with the view that, though Rescher’s theory exhibits some epistemic merits, yet due to certain inherent cognitive problems, it does not meet the demands of rational success either in justifying the coherence theory or resolving the problem of truth in epistemology.

Keywords

CriteriologyCriterialTruth-CandidatesCognitiveCoherence

References

Allen, Sophie R. “Deepening the Controversy over Metaphysical Realism”. Philosophy. 77.4 (2002): 519-541.Google Scholar ↗
Aristotle. Metaphysics. Ed. Stanley Rosen. New York: Random House, 2000.Google Scholar ↗
Augustine. The True Religion. Trans. J. H. S. Burlkigh. New Delhi: Oriental, 1978.Google Scholar ↗
Barry, Allen. Truth in Philosophy. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1993. Belknap, 1987.Google Scholar ↗
Carrol, John W. “Anti-reductionism”. The Oxford Handbook of Causation. Eds. Helen Beebee, Christopher Hitchcock and Peter Menzies. 2009. Retrieved: 10 July 2016.Google Scholar ↗
Copi, Irving. Introduction to Logic. 5th ed. New York, Macmillan, 1978.Google Scholar ↗
Dewey, John. Reconstruction in Philosophy. New York: Holt, 1920.Google Scholar ↗
Dowden, Bradley. “Truth”. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved: 14 June, 2016.Google Scholar ↗
Edwards, Paul. Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2. Ed. Paul Edwards London: Macmillan, 19Google Scholar ↗
Haack, Susan. Evidence and Inquiry: Towards Reconstruction in Epistemology. Oxford: Blackwell, 1993.Google Scholar ↗
Hamlyn, D. W. The Theory of Knowledge. London: Macmillan, 1980. Print.Google Scholar ↗
Hammond, R. Human Judgment and Social Policy. Irreducible Uncertainty, Inevitable Error, Introduction to Philosophy. Illinois: Scott, Foreman and Co., 1970. Print.Google Scholar ↗
Hornby, A. S. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English. 5th ed. New York: Oxford University, 2010.Google Scholar ↗
Khatchadourian, Haig. Truth: Its Nature, Criteria and Conditions. China: Gruyter, 2015.Google Scholar ↗
Kreef, Peter and Tacceli, R. “Handbook of Christian Apologetics”. Academics, IIT, 1996. https:/ /www.amazon.co./Handbook. Retrieved: 16 June, 2016.Google Scholar ↗
Mastin, Luke. “Reductionism”. The Basics of Philosophy. www.philosophybasics.com/branch. Retrieved: 15 July, 2016.Google Scholar ↗
McGinn, Colin. “The Truth about Truth”. What is Truth? Ed. Richard Schantz. Berlin: McGraw-Hill, 1976.Google Scholar ↗
Ozumba, Godfrey. A Concise Introduction to Epistemology. Calabar: Joachrisam, 2015.Google Scholar ↗
Ozumba, Godfrey. Philosophy and Method of Integrative Humanism. Calabar: Joachrisam, 2010.Google Scholar ↗
Popper, Karl. Objective Knowledge: An Evolutionary Approach. Oxford: Claredon, 1972.Google Scholar ↗
Rescher, Nicholas. Epistemology: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge. New York: State University of New York, 2003.Google Scholar ↗
Robinson, Daniel Somner. “Idealism”. Encyclopedia Britannica. www.britannica.com/topic/idealism. Retrieved: 20 Nov., 2021.Google Scholar ↗
Russell, Bertrand. The Problems of Philosophy. New York. Oxford University, 1998. Print.Google Scholar ↗
Sahakian, W. and Mabel Sahakian. Ideas of Great Philosophers. New York: Barnes and Nobles, 1993.Google Scholar ↗
Stout, George F. “Immediacy, Mediacy and Coherence”. The Mind. 17.65 (1908): 20-47.Retrieved: 15 Dec., 2021.Google Scholar ↗
Titus, Harold; Marilyn Smith and Richard Noland. Living Issues in Philosophy. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1979.Google Scholar ↗
White, Alan R. “Coherence Theory of Truth”. Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2. Ed. Paul Edwards. New York: Macmillan, 1972.Google Scholar ↗
Young, James O. “Coherence Theory of Truth”. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Ed. Edward N. Zelta. www.plato.stanford.edu/entries/coherenceGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-1] Allen, Sophie R. “Deepening the Controversy over Metaphysical Realism”. Philosophy. 77.4 (2002): 519-541.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-2] Aristotle. Metaphysics. Ed. Stanley Rosen. New York: Random House, 2000.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-3] Augustine. The True Religion. Trans. J. H. S. Burlkigh. New Delhi: Oriental, 1978.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-4] Barry, Allen. Truth in Philosophy. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1993. Belknap, 1987.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-5] Carrol, John W. “Anti-reductionism”. The Oxford Handbook of Causation. Eds. Helen Beebee, Christopher Hitchcock and Peter Menzies. 2009. Retrieved: 10 July 2016.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-6] Copi, Irving. Introduction to Logic. 5th ed. New York, Macmillan, 1978.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-7] Dewey, John. Reconstruction in Philosophy. New York: Holt, 1920.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-8] Dowden, Bradley. “Truth”. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved: 14 June, 2016.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-9] Edwards, Paul. Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2. Ed. Paul Edwards London: Macmillan, 19Google Scholar ↗

[refR-10] Haack, Susan. Evidence and Inquiry: Towards Reconstruction in Epistemology. Oxford: Blackwell, 1993.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-11] Hamlyn, D. W. The Theory of Knowledge. London: Macmillan, 1980. Print.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-12] Hammond, R. Human Judgment and Social Policy. Irreducible Uncertainty, Inevitable Error, Introduction to Philosophy. Illinois: Scott, Foreman and Co., 1970. Print.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-13] Hornby, A. S. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English. 5th ed. New York: Oxford University, 2010.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-14] Khatchadourian, Haig. Truth: Its Nature, Criteria and Conditions. China: Gruyter, 2015.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-15] Kreef, Peter and Tacceli, R. “Handbook of Christian Apologetics”. Academics, IIT, 1996. https:/ /www.amazon.co./Handbook. Retrieved: 16 June, 2016.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-16] Mastin, Luke. “Reductionism”. The Basics of Philosophy. www.philosophybasics.com/branch. Retrieved: 15 July, 2016.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-17] McGinn, Colin. “The Truth about Truth”. What is Truth? Ed. Richard Schantz. Berlin: McGraw-Hill, 1976.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-18] Ozumba, Godfrey. A Concise Introduction to Epistemology. Calabar: Joachrisam, 2015.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-19] Ozumba, Godfrey. Philosophy and Method of Integrative Humanism. Calabar: Joachrisam, 2010.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-20] Popper, Karl. Objective Knowledge: An Evolutionary Approach. Oxford: Claredon, 1972.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-21] Rescher, Nicholas. Epistemology: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge. New York: State University of New York, 2003.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-22] Robinson, Daniel Somner. “Idealism”. Encyclopedia Britannica. www.britannica.com/topic/idealism. Retrieved: 20 Nov., 2021.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-23] Russell, Bertrand. The Problems of Philosophy. New York. Oxford University, 1998. Print.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-24] Sahakian, W. and Mabel Sahakian. Ideas of Great Philosophers. New York: Barnes and Nobles, 1993.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-25] Stout, George F. “Immediacy, Mediacy and Coherence”. The Mind. 17.65 (1908): 20-47.Retrieved: 15 Dec., 2021.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-26] Titus, Harold; Marilyn Smith and Richard Noland. Living Issues in Philosophy. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1979.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-27] White, Alan R. “Coherence Theory of Truth”. Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2. Ed. Paul Edwards. New York: Macmillan, 1972.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-28] Young, James O. “Coherence Theory of Truth”. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Ed. Edward N. Zelta. www.plato.stanford.edu/entries/coherenceGoogle Scholar ↗