1 PHIL Post.docx - Dr. Mark Foreman in the presentation...

Dr. Mark Foreman in the presentation “What is Truth?” criticized the theory of
pragmatism as being the most problematic theory of truth. In this theory truth is what works,
meaning a proposition is true if it achieves the desired outcome successfully (Foreman). The
presentation criticizes this theory because there is no logical connection between what works and
what is true. There is no criterion to determine what is “true” or “successful” which makes the
truth something that is inconsistent and varies depending on the situation or desired outcome.
This criticism is found in all three sources and is what I would consider to be the strongest.
The article “Some Problems with Pragmatism” by Douglas Groothuis also addresses how
it is problematic to deem a belief true when we decide it works in our favor and is beneficial to
us. Just because a belief or idea may work for someone does not make it true. It is possible that a
belief is successful or works out in your favor by chance just like it is possible for that same
belief or idea to cause chaos for somebody else (Dew &Foreman 54). Chapter 4 of Dew and
Foreman states that this law of truth violates the law of contradiction. How can something be