Truth Claims Are Instruments
Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2019 7:27 pm
Does truth have intrinsic value? I contend that it does not, and that truth claims are tools that animals use to create desired effects. My working paper Truth Claims Are Instruments, which may be of interest to some here, is available on the Social Science Research Network.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm ... id=3420559
Abstract
This paper draws on biology, evolution and cognitive science to formulate a mechanistic explanation of human behavior that resolves the traditional conflicts between behaviorism and cognitivism. Animals are biological information processing systems that input environmental data through their senses, interpret it, and output behaviors that advance their goals. Communication extends the capabilities of individual organisms by serving an input (sensing) function for receivers and an output (manipulating) function for senders. Higher animals build internal models of the physical world that are collections of representations of, or truth claims about, its contents and its cause-and-effect rules, which they use as guides to manipulating the world to induce desired physical effects. They use other animals as agents by sending them truth claims intended to influence their behavior selection. They also selectively adopt and reject truth claims to manipulate their own affective states.
Sensory and cognitive restrictions limit the completeness and accuracy with which our internal representations can mirror their physical referents. These impediments to faithful representation, along with functional biases, make representational errors and omissions resistant to correction and allow latitude in the construction of social reality (the shared models of the world that govern the distribution of social rewards and penalties). Uncredited social and emotional benefits constitute a shadow reward system that motivates and accounts for the greater part of the effects of many of our individual and joint behaviors. Truth claims’ value lies in their utility in the causation of desired effects, which is often independent of their veridicality.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm ... id=3420559
Abstract
This paper draws on biology, evolution and cognitive science to formulate a mechanistic explanation of human behavior that resolves the traditional conflicts between behaviorism and cognitivism. Animals are biological information processing systems that input environmental data through their senses, interpret it, and output behaviors that advance their goals. Communication extends the capabilities of individual organisms by serving an input (sensing) function for receivers and an output (manipulating) function for senders. Higher animals build internal models of the physical world that are collections of representations of, or truth claims about, its contents and its cause-and-effect rules, which they use as guides to manipulating the world to induce desired physical effects. They use other animals as agents by sending them truth claims intended to influence their behavior selection. They also selectively adopt and reject truth claims to manipulate their own affective states.
Sensory and cognitive restrictions limit the completeness and accuracy with which our internal representations can mirror their physical referents. These impediments to faithful representation, along with functional biases, make representational errors and omissions resistant to correction and allow latitude in the construction of social reality (the shared models of the world that govern the distribution of social rewards and penalties). Uncredited social and emotional benefits constitute a shadow reward system that motivates and accounts for the greater part of the effects of many of our individual and joint behaviors. Truth claims’ value lies in their utility in the causation of desired effects, which is often independent of their veridicality.