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by iwnit on May 23rd, 2009
"In epistemology (theory of knowledge), a self-evident proposition is one that is known to be true by understanding its meaning without proof.
Some epistemologists deny that any proposition can be self-evident. For most others, the belief that oneself is conscious is offered as an example of self-evidence. However, one's belief that someone else is conscious is not epistemically self-evident.
The following propositions are often said to be self-evident:
A finite whole is greater than any of its parts
It is impossible for the something to be and not be at the same time in the same manner.
Certain forms of argument from self-evidence are considered fallacious or abusive in debate. For example, if a proposition is claimed to be self-evident, it is an argumentative fallacy to assert that disagreement with the proposition indicates misunderstanding of it."
"Informal speech:
In informal speech, self-evident often merely means obvious, but the epistemological definition is more strict.
Moral propositions:
Moral propositions can also be said to be self-evident. For example, Alexander Hamilton cited the following moral propositions as self-evident in the Federalist No. 37:
The means ought to be proportioned to the end.
Every power ought to be commensurate with its object.
There ought to be no limitation of a power destined to effect a purpose which is itself incapable of limitation.
A famous claim of the self-evidence of a moral truth is in the United States Declaration of Independence, which states, "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"; philosophically, that proposition is not necessarily self-evident, and the subsequent propositions surely are not. Nevertheless, many would agree that the proposition we ought to treat subjects known to be equal in a certain sense equally in regard to that sense is morally self-evident. Thus, as Thomas Jefferson proposed, one can hold the propositions to be self-evident as the basis for practical, even revolutionary, behaviours."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-evidence
"Indefinables are concepts so global that they cannot be defined; rather, in a sense, they themselves, and the objects to which they refer, define our reality and our ideas. Their meanings cannot be stated in a true definition, but their meanings can be referred to instead by being placed with their incomplete definitions in self-evident statements, the truth of which can be tested by whether or not it is impossible to think the opposite without a contradiction. Thus, the truth of indefinable concepts and propositions using them is entirely a matter of logic.
An example of the above is that of the concepts "finite parts" and "wholes"; they cannot be defined without reference to each other and thus with some amount of circularity, but we can make the self-evident statement that "the whole is greater than any of its parts", and thus establish a meaning particular to the two concepts."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Is-ought_problem
Further information:
- "Can anything be self-evident?":
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.philosophy/browse_thread/thread/dba352ca4f21bce3
- "the self-evident statement":
http://documents.irevues.inist.fr/bitstream/2042/3315/1/07+TEXTE.pdf
- "self-evident my ass!":
http://www.kith.org/journals/vardibidian/2005/10/12/10015.html
- "When may I call something self-evident?":
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080620142138AAKjCHw
by Keysha on March 13th, 2009
You are reading this.
by Theby on May 23rd, 2009
This water is wet.
by a.c.i.d on August 25th, 2009
You are reading my words.
by Twisted Taco on July 20th, 2009
Republicans are morally bankrupt
by HasntBeen on July 20th, 2009
This statement is.
by Zarathustra on March 8th, 2009
"Cogito Errgo Sum," I Think, Therefore I Am.
-Rene Descartes
by Marguerite on March 3rd, 2009
From the Declaration of Independence:
"We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable Rights.....
by ENigma on March 2nd, 2009
All right angles are equal to one another.
by Phillis - Zacks little sister on March 1st, 2009
Humans are people, too!
by Somedude81 on November 6th, 2009
You are reading what I am writing in response to the question above.
by MrJosh on September 6th, 2009
You are.
by Prunesquallor on July 20th, 2009
This sentence contains five words.
by nucleotideboy on July 20th, 2009
You are reading this sentence.
by Jadey - Vive la difference on July 20th, 2009
A dog is a dog
Perhaps =)
by Brahmanyan on July 20th, 2009
"I am my world" Without me there is no world for me.
by sloroller on July 20th, 2009
Seven days without sex makes one 'week'.
by yummy_mummy on July 20th, 2009
Wow that sun is freakin bright man!
by CaRbOnPrOdUcK is Baccuss on July 9th, 2009
Record breaking heat makes me feel kind of hot.
by AliasTJ on July 9th, 2009
It's hard to meditate on methamphetamine.
by Dave2222 on March 8th, 2009
People are funny; they want the front of the bus,
Middle of the road,
And back of the church.
by Hyacinth is not a Shrinking Violet on March 1st, 2009
an axiom.
by pinprick on July 9th, 2009
I could.
What is epistemology anyway, and why is this the only question in the category?
by Annon on June 18th, 2008
| 8 people like this
What evidence or proof would you need to believe that there is a deity?
by Brian on January 6th, 2009
| 21 people like this
Is the premise "All truth can be revealed by empiricism." provable using empiricism?
by Fruitpunchsamurai on August 5th, 2010
| 3 people like this
"Regarding the argument for the existence of God; holding that the existence of the concept of God entails the existence of God" (or any other subject matter) Does the idea of something manifest the existence of that thing? Where then is causality?
by Macmedic and yet ... here I am on January 3rd, 2009
| 3 people like this
Do you pay more attention to information that supports your existing ideas?
by iwnit on October 12th, 2008
| 11 people like this
You're reading Could you give me an example of a statement that is self-evident?
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Comments
Excellent answer much appreciated, iwnit. The links are great too. Thank you. ☺
by Marky Mark on May 23rd, 2009
Marky Mark: you are very welcome (pts already given).
☺
by iwnit on May 23rd, 2009
Nothing can be proved. Something can only be disproved. So, the answer is "no". However, we adopt certain axioms of truth in order to determine our own existance. The same goes for statements of truth. We just must AGREE they are true and then proceed from there.
by clmarch on November 20th, 2009
(Could you please put this in a answer box?) ;-)
by Marky Mark on November 20th, 2009