Truth, as we know, lies in the judgment. Not all truths, of course, are of equal value to man. That my shoe squeaks, is a truth of no importance, unless, perhaps, I were a burglar or a detective; so, too, the fact that there is a solitary cloud in the sky morning, is not a truth which will startle mankind. Such truths are commonplace and mean little. But scientific truths have far greater value. That, water, for instance, consists of one part oxygen and two parts hydrogen, is a truth the discovery of which meant a distinct advancement in human knowledge and progress, because it enabled man to acquire great quantities of these two useful elements. Philosophic truths possess even greater importance than scientific truths, because the validity of science depends upon them. Thus, the Principles of Contradiction and of Sufficient Reason underlie all being and knowledge and constitute the very foundation of the sciences. It will, therefore, not be amiss to classify the different kinds of truths as found in the judgments of the intellect, since the value of man's spontaneous convictions is closely connected with his insight into these truths. The validity of man's knowledge can be established only if the validity of such truths is established, and so it is well to know these classes of truth.
The above brief account furnishes us with a survey of the sources and main facts of knowledge as revealed in the spontaneous convictions of men. Sense-perception, intellection, and self-consciousness, all contribute their share toward the sum total of man's knowledge. There is one trait characteristic of all these spontaneous convictions: man's knowledge is a faithful and genuine representation of reality as it is in itself. And this reality is twofold: Ego and non-Ego; the ideal world of thought and the material world of physical objects; man himself and universe distinct from man. And man's mind can transcend itself, reach out and contact this outside world, assimilate it cognitionally, and thereby acquire a valid knowledge of things. This is the sum and substance of the facts as given in man's convictions.
On the next post, I will explain everything about the analytical judgment and why it is the first among the Classes of Truth. So, visit this blog for updates are posted everyday.
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