Content and likeness definitions of truthlikeness

Ilkka Niiniluoto

pp. 27-35

in: Jaakko Hintikka, Tadeusz Czarnecki, Tomasz Placek, Artur Rojszczak (eds), Philosophy and logic in search of the Polish tradition, Berlin, Springer, 2003

Abstract

Sjoerd D. Zwart's doctoral dissertation Approach to the Truth (1998) divides theories of truthlikeness into two rival approaches. The content definitions operate with the notions of truth value and logical strength, and the likeness definitions employ the notion of similarity between possible worlds or their representations (structures, constituents). This division is not as such novel, but Zwart links it in an interesting way to the question: what is the least truthlike theory? He also notes that my own theory, given in Truthlikeness (1987), can give either a content or likeness ordering. This observation is correct, and it gives me a welcome opportunity to clarify, motivate, and sharpen my views.