关于事实、真相、真理的定义
文摘
2024-10-06 20:46
美国
接着谈“定义句”。为什么英语中有各种从句、定语状语……为什么搞那么复杂？因为语言是认知的镜像，现实世界原本就是复杂的。“眼见为实”，所见即真相吗？“坚信不疑”，就是真理吗？“尊重事实”，什么叫事实？我们整天为“真相”、“真理”、“事实”这些名词争论，有几个人知道自己说的是什么吗？我们说准确“定义”，是掌握逻辑能力的第一步。以两个词为例——fact和truth。A
fact is a thing that is known to be true, especially when it can be proved.事实是指已知为真的事情，尤其是可以证明的事情。（单数形式）Facts
refer to the things that are true rather than things that have been invented.事实指的是真实的事物，而不是杜撰的事物。（复数形式）由此可见“事实”的核心特征：verifiable（可证明）中文里“真相”和“真理”：在英文中都对应truth。The
truth refers to the true facts about sth, rather than the things that
have been invented or guessed.真相指的是关于事物的真实情况，而不是杜撰或猜测出来的东西。（这里译为“真相”，例如tell the truth。可见真相之“真”，在于你真实转述、而非杜撰。） Truth
is a fact that is believed by most people to be true.真理是被大多数人认为是真实的事实。（注意这里“真理”之所以为“真理”，它更需要人们去“相信”它。）Truth
is a broader concept that refers to the property of being in accordance with
reality or what is believed to be true. It can be subjective or context-dependent and may involve interpretations, perceptions, and beliefs.
For example, the statement "Honesty is the best policy" can be
considered true for some people based on their values and experiences, but it
is not a factual statement that can be empirically proven.真理是个更宽泛的概念，指符合现实属性、或被认为真实的东西。它可能是主观的，也可能取决于具体情况，还可能涉及解释、认知和信仰。例如“诚为上策”这句话，对于某些人，基于他们的价值观和经验，可以被认为是真实的，但它并不是一个可以被经验证明的事实陈述。简单说：“事实”必须是客观的，而“真理”则可能是主观的。至于它是否反映“真相”（这种quality），则需要证明。To
prove means to establish something as true beyond doubt through logical
reasoning, evidence, or demonstration. Proving something involves providing
sufficient evidence to remove any ambiguity or uncertainty, thereby confirming
the truth or validity of a claim.证明是指通过逻辑推理、证据或演示，毫无疑问地确定某件事情的真实性。证明涉及提供足够证据，以消除任何含糊不清或不确定性，从而证实某项主张的真实性或有效性。Example:
“The scientist proved the hypothesis through a series of controlled
experiments.”To
verify means to check, confirm, or validate that something is accurate, true,
or meets a certain standard. The goal of verification is to ensure that the
information matches the evidence or predetermined criteria. It often involves a
process of testing or confirming without necessarily providing absolute proof.核实的意思是检查、确认或验证某事是否准确、真实，或符合某标准。验证的目的，是确保信息符合证据或预定标准。它通常涉及测试或确认的过程，但不一定提供绝对的证据。Example:
“The auditor verified the financial statements to ensure accuracy.”例如：审计员对财务报表进行了核查，以确保其准确性。
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