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Originally Posted by SMadsen
Please finish these statements:
Something is true when it isn't f....
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For this one, I'll grant you that the
idea of "truth" as a thing presumes that one has the
idea of falsehood. But conceivably one could live in a world where there were no false statements or thoughts ever made. In that world, no one would ever have bothered to think about what "truth" meant, but there would be no falsehood.
This is distinct from forgiveness and sin, for example. Without sin, there can be no forgiveness, because there's nothing to forgive.
A world full of forgiveness but lacking any sins is nonsensical; a world full of truths and lacking falsehoods is not (though it might be just as unobtainable).
Quote:
Originally Posted by SMadsen
Love is the absence of h.....
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This one, however, I can't give you at all. Love most certainly is not just the absence of hatred; that would meant that I loved everyone I was indifferent to and deeply loved everyone I'd never so heard or thought of.
"Love" is, of course, a difficult term. But even if we just take a very simplistic view of it (perhaps "love" is wishing someone well and "hatred" is wishing someone harm), it is entirely possible to imagine a world completely absent of hatred but still containing love.
Furthermore, unlike the truth/falsehood example, it would be possible, in such a world, to recognize and define love as a distinct concept. In such a case, "love" would be defined as "the absence of indifference." And people would still tell you to "love your neighbor" even if the concept of hating them had never entered anyone's mind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SMadsen
What do you mean, leading the witness?! 
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