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<font size="3">&#9758;</font> This page belongs to resource collections on [[Logic Live|Logic]] and [[Inquiry Live|Inquiry]].

<font size="3">&#9758;</font> This page belongs to resource collections on [[Logic Live|Logic]] and [[Inquiry Live|Inquiry]].

A '''truth theory''' or a '''theory of truth''' is a conceptual framework that underlies a particular conception of truth, such as those used in art, ethics, logic, mathematics, philosophy, the sciences, or any discussion that either mentions or makes use of a notion of truth.  A truth theory can be anything from an informal theory, based on implicit or tacit ideas, to a formal theory, constructed from explicit axioms and definitions and developed by means of definite ''rules of inference''.  The scope of a truth theory can be restricted to tightly-controlled and well-bounded universes of discourse or its horizon may extend to the limits of the human imagination.

A '''truth theory''' or a '''theory of truth''' is a conceptual framework that underlies a particular conception of truth, such as those used in art, ethics, logic, mathematics, philosophy, the sciences, or any discussion that either mentions or makes use of a notion of truth.  A truth theory can be anything from an informal theory, based on implicit or tacit ideas, to a formal theory, constructed from explicit axioms and definitions and developed by means of definite rules of inference.  The scope of a truth theory can be restricted to tightly-controlled and well-bounded universes of discourse or its horizon may extend to the limits of the human imagination.

==Truth in perspective==

==Truth in perspective==

Notions of truth are notoriously difficult to disentangle from many of our most basic concepts &mdash; meaning, reality, and values in general, to mention just a few.

Notions of truth are notoriously difficult to disentangle from many of our most basic concepts &mdash; meaning, reality, and values in general, to mention just a few.

The subjects of meaning and truth are commonly treated together, the idea being that a thing must be meaningful before it can be true or false.  This association is found in ancient times, and has become standard in modern times under the heading of ''semantics'', especially ''formal semantics'' and ''model theory''.  Another association of longstanding interest is the relation between truth and ''logical validity'', "because the fundamental notion of logic is validity and this is definable in terms of truth and falsehood" (Kneale & Kneale, 16).  Though not the main subjects of this article, meaning and validity are truth's neighbors, and incidental inquiries of them can serve to cast light on truth's character.

The subjects of meaning and truth are commonly treated together, the idea being that a thing must be meaningful before it can be true or false.  This association is found in ancient times, and has become standard in modern times under the heading of ''semantics'', especially ''formal semantics'' and ''model theory''.  Another association of longstanding interest is the relation between truth and ''logical validity'', "because the fundamental notion of logic is validity and this is definable in terms of truth and falsehood" (Kneale and Kneale, 16).  Though not the main subjects of this article, meaning and validity are truth's neighbors, and incidental inquiries of them can serve to cast light on truth's character.

Beyond this minor note of accord, hardly universal, suggesting that meaning is necessary to truth, reflectors on the idea of truth just as quickly disperse into schools of thought that barely comprehend each other's thinking.  A few of the more notable points of departure are these:

Beyond this minor note of accord, hardly universal, suggesting that meaning is necessary to truth, reflectors on the idea of truth just as quickly disperse into schools of thought that barely comprehend each other's thinking.  A few of the more notable points of departure are these: