subjective shall be those things without a clear truth condition
This is quite an onerous requirement, given that people disagree on that “clear truth” thing a lot.
In your example, people may disagree on what “a fuel efficient car” is. Does it include the energy required to manufacture and later dispose of the batteries? If so, what total mileage does one use to properly amortize it?
Something along the lines of “measurable with an agreed upon procedure” might be better for the group of people who can agree on the measurement procedure. Under this dentition, if no such group includes both Abd and his teen daughter, then “Justin Bieber sucks” is “objectively” a subjective comment. Specifically, everyone who agrees with the above definition of objectiveness and will apply it: “look for a group of people who agree on ways to measure musical suckiness and include both Abd and his daughter, and come up empty” will then conclude that there is no measurement procedure which can resolve their dispute, and therefore the statement under consideration is objectively subjective. Not to be confused with subjectively objective.
I like the idea that if there is no method-of-measure such that both parties can agree to that definition, then it is subjective. It nicely encapsulates my intuitive feelings on subjective vs objective, while being much more technically precise :)
EDIT: I’d go on to say that “a clear truth condition” and “an agreed upon method of measuring”, to me, work out as having the same meaning. People disagree on “truth” quite a lot, but such people are also unlikely to agree to a specific method of measuring. If they have agreed, then there is a clear truth condition. But having it spelled out was still Very Useful to me, and probably is a better way of communicating it :)
If they have agreed, then there is a clear truth condition.
There’s a clear something condition. Elsewhere, you object to
the idea tha presence of agreement, or lack of disagreement, (“not questioned by most people”) is sufficient for
truth:-
I’m glad that you found my comment helpful. It was certainly worthwhile for me trying to articulate my qualifications of the term “clear truth”.
I’d go on to say that “a clear truth condition” and “an agreed upon method of measuring”, to me, work out as having the same meaning.
I dislike using the word “truth” outside of its precise meaning in mathematical logic, because it is not very useful instrumentally—there is often no way to check whose interpretation is closer to “what really happened” or what would happen in every single one of many counterfactual scenarios.
For example, one of the standard things a therapist says during a couple’s counseling in response to the contradictory versions of what happened at some point in the rocky relationship is that “you have to accept that there is one partner’s truth and there is the other partner’s truth”. Both are completely sure in their version of what had transpired, and that the other partner has it wrong. Unfortunately, there is almost never a way to tell what “actually” happened, and even if there were, it would not be nearly as helpful going forward as working out real issues instead of dwelling on who said/did what and when and how this grudge can never be resolved without some major restitution.
This is quite an onerous requirement, given that people disagree on that “clear truth” thing a lot.
In your example, people may disagree on what “a fuel efficient car” is. Does it include the energy required to manufacture and later dispose of the batteries? If so, what total mileage does one use to properly amortize it?
Something along the lines of “measurable with an agreed upon procedure” might be better for the group of people who can agree on the measurement procedure. Under this dentition, if no such group includes both Abd and his teen daughter, then “Justin Bieber sucks” is “objectively” a subjective comment. Specifically, everyone who agrees with the above definition of objectiveness and will apply it: “look for a group of people who agree on ways to measure musical suckiness and include both Abd and his daughter, and come up empty” will then conclude that there is no measurement procedure which can resolve their dispute, and therefore the statement under consideration is objectively subjective. Not to be confused with subjectively objective.
Well, not sure how much of the above made sense.
I like the idea that if there is no method-of-measure such that both parties can agree to that definition, then it is subjective. It nicely encapsulates my intuitive feelings on subjective vs objective, while being much more technically precise :)
EDIT: I’d go on to say that “a clear truth condition” and “an agreed upon method of measuring”, to me, work out as having the same meaning. People disagree on “truth” quite a lot, but such people are also unlikely to agree to a specific method of measuring. If they have agreed, then there is a clear truth condition. But having it spelled out was still Very Useful to me, and probably is a better way of communicating it :)
There’s a clear something condition. Elsewhere, you object to the idea tha presence of agreement, or lack of disagreement, (“not questioned by most people”) is sufficient for truth:-
http://lesswrong.com/lw/fgz/empirical_claims_preference_claims_and_attitude/7vcg
I’m glad that you found my comment helpful. It was certainly worthwhile for me trying to articulate my qualifications of the term “clear truth”.
I dislike using the word “truth” outside of its precise meaning in mathematical logic, because it is not very useful instrumentally—there is often no way to check whose interpretation is closer to “what really happened” or what would happen in every single one of many counterfactual scenarios.
For example, one of the standard things a therapist says during a couple’s counseling in response to the contradictory versions of what happened at some point in the rocky relationship is that “you have to accept that there is one partner’s truth and there is the other partner’s truth”. Both are completely sure in their version of what had transpired, and that the other partner has it wrong. Unfortunately, there is almost never a way to tell what “actually” happened, and even if there were, it would not be nearly as helpful going forward as working out real issues instead of dwelling on who said/did what and when and how this grudge can never be resolved without some major restitution.