Hard Problem of Truth

The self-referential paradox of defining truth without being circular. The classic definition is "correspondence with reality." But to check if a statement corresponds to reality, you must already have access to that reality, which is the very thing in question (see: Hard Problem of Reality). All other theories of truth collapse into relativism (coherence: "true if it fits our other beliefs") or pragmatism ("true if it works"), which abandon the commonsense notion of an objective, mind-independent truth. The hard problem is that the concept of truth seems necessary for rational discourse, yet any attempt to ground it leads either to infinite regress or a dogmatic stopping point.

Example: The statement "Gravity pulls objects toward Earth's center." How do we know it's true? We point to evidence (falling apples, orbital mechanics). But that evidence is only valid if we assume our senses and instruments reliably report reality (a truth claim itself). We trust the instruments because of physics (another set of truth claims). The chain never touches bedrock. The hard problem: Truth is the anchor of thought, but the anchor is hooked to the boat it's supposed to be securing. We sail on an ocean of justified beliefs, never dropping anchor in the seafloor of absolute truth. Hard Problem of Truth.

by Enkigal January 24, 2026

Theory of Constructed Truth

The extension of constructionism to the concept of truth itself. It posits that truth is not a static correspondence between statement and world, but an ongoing social process of justification within a community. A statement becomes "true" when it is agreed upon by the relevant epistemic community using their accepted rules (e.g., the scientific method, legal procedure, religious doctrine). This explains how something can be "true" in one context (e.g., a legal verdict) and not in another (e.g., a historical investigation).

Example: "He argued from the Theory of Constructed Truth: 'In this company, the truth is whatever the CEO says in the all-hands meeting. Your data is just a competing construction. To win, you don't need better facts; you need to become the community that defines the truth.' It was cynical, devastating, and probably accurate."

by Dumu The Void January 30, 2026

Meta-Truth

A truth that operates on a level above regular factual claims, dealing with the nature, construction, and limits of truth itself. It's not about whether a statement is true (e.g., "the sky is blue"), but about the framework that makes such an assessment possible (e.g., "truth is a relationship between statements and a socially-agreed-upon reality"). Meta-truths are the rules of the truth-game, often emerging in philosophy, postmodern critique, or when someone says, "Well, technically, truth is subjective." They're the truths you use to deconstruct other truths, often leaving you intellectually satisfied but unable to win a simple argument.

Example: "In the debate, he pulled a meta-truth: 'Your facts are all correct, but they're trapped within a capitalist paradigm that defines value through growth, which is itself a constructed truth.' He was factually obliterated, but claimed a higher, meta-truth victory that pissed everyone off."

by Dumu The Void January 30, 2026