How to discern fact/reality from fiction?

[paarsurrey1]

How to discern fact/reality from fiction?
What is the criteria, please?

Regards

___________

St Ambrose’s life from the Prologue:

"This great Father of the Orthodox Church was of eminent parentage. His father was the imperial governor of Gaul and Spain, and a pagan, while his mother was a Christian. While he was still in his cradle, a swarm of bees once settled on him, left some honey on his lips and flew off; and, while still a child, he thrust out his hand and said prophetically: ‘Kiss it, for I shall be a bishop!’ On the death of his father, the Emperor made him governor of Liguria, of which province Milan was the chief city. When the bishop of Milan died, there was great dissention between the Orthodox Christians and the heretical Arians about the choice of a new bishop. Ambrose went into the church to keep order, this being his responsibility. Thereupon, a child at its mother’s breast cried out: ‘Ambrose for bishop!’ All the people took this to be the voice of God, and unanimously elected Ambrose as their bishop, although it was against his will. Ambrose was baptised, and passed through all the necessary ranks in one week, and was consecrated bishop. In this capacity, he strengthened the faith of the Orthodox, restrained heretics, adorned churches, spread the Faith among the pagans, wrote many instructive books and was an example of a true Christian and a true shepherd." ..........
.........
......
"God granted this man, who was so pleasing to Him, such grace that he could raise the dead, drive demons from men, heal the sick of every ailment and see into the future. He died peacefully at daybreak on Easter Day in the year 397. [7]"
http://logismoitouaaron.blogspot.ca/200 ... se-of.html

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1 by paarsurrey1]

Fact is when someone's language is consistent. Fiction is someone posting as if they just heard their first English word on the boat coming over from Syria and then some weeks later using the words "discern" and "criteria" as correctly as any native speaker. I believe I have just witnesses a miracle that the most talented of my students would pray for before finals.

Congratulations, please thank you Sir? Please!

JW

[paarsurrey1]

[Replying to post 2 by JehovahsWitness]

Fact is when someone's language is consistent.

Does one discern that the language of the narrative given in
"St Ambrose’s life from the Prologue" is consistent and a fact, please?

Regards

[Divine Insight]

How to discern fact/reality from fiction?
What is the criteria, please?

When it comes to history it's often impossible to discern fact/reality from fiction. This is because much of history is derived from writings from authors. So it basically comes down to whether or not the author in question can be believed.

Historians do have other tools at their disposal. For example, the more independent historical accounts that can be found tend to give a particular historical story more credence. However, even that type of evidence can be misleading. The reason being that authors often repeat rumors that are common to the era. Just because a rumor is being repeated is no guarantee that it's not still just an empty rumor.

Humans are also known to lie. Especially when they are passionate about trying to convince people of something they would like people to believe.

So in the case of history it's often quite difficult to discern between truth and fiction. Especially in the case of history before modern media had been invented.

Once we had printing presses, radio, TV, audio and video recordings, etc., then modern history become far more dependable. But prior to those inventions history is ill-defined and it's often not possible to discern between truth and fiction.

Fortunately this type of problem doesn't affect the physical sciences. So in the physical sciences it's far easier to discern truth from fiction. But when it comes to historical accounts of human behavior and activities it's far more muddled.

In short, history is not a good place to look for truth. Especially ancient history. Modern history is far more dependable for the reasons I just gave.

[paarsurrey1]

How to discern fact/reality from fiction?
What is the criteria, please?

When it comes to history it's often impossible to discern fact/reality from fiction. This is because much of history is derived from writings from authors. So it basically comes down to whether or not the author in question can be believed.

Historians do have other tools at their disposal. For example, the more independent historical accounts that can be found tend to give a particular historical story more credence. However, even that type of evidence can be misleading. The reason being that authors often repeat rumors that are common to the era. Just because a rumor is being repeated is no guarantee that it's not still just an empty rumor.

Humans are also known to lie. Especially when they are passionate about trying to convince people of something they would like people to believe.

So in the case of history it's often quite difficult to discern between truth and fiction. Especially in the case of history before modern media had been invented.

Once we had printing presses, radio, TV, audio and video recordings, etc., then modern history become far more dependable. But prior to those inventions history is ill-defined and it's often not possible to discern between truth and fiction.

Fortunately this type of problem doesn't affect the physical sciences. So in the physical sciences it's far easier to discern truth from fiction. But when it comes to historical accounts of human behavior and activities it's far more muddled.

In short, history is not a good place to look for truth. Especially ancient history. Modern history is far more dependable for the reasons I just gave.

Thanks for one's input.
How one sees the point mentioned by friend JehovahsWitness?:

JehovahsWitness:
Fact is when someone's language is consistent.

Does one discern that the language of the narrative given in
"St Ambrose’s life from the Prologue" is consistent and a fact, please?

Regards

[Divine Insight]

Thanks for one's input.
How one sees the point mentioned by friend JehovahsWitness?:

JehovahsWitness:
Fact is when someone's language is consistent.

Does one discern that the language of the narrative given in
"St Ambrose’s life from the Prologue" is consistent and a fact, please?

Regards

Language that is consistent with what?

I'm not sure I understand what JW means.

I can write a totally fictitious story that is consistent with its own claims as well as being consistent with things that are possible. Does this then make the fictional story true?

I think not.

Here's a quick example.

This morning I got up and went out to my garage. I strapped my paramotor onto my back and flew over to town some 20 miles away. I landed in a field next to a restaurant. I went in and had a good meal. After the meal I strapped my paramotor back on and flew back home.

Is there anything in the above story that is inconsistent in terms of language? Unless I made typos I'm unaware of I don't see any linguistic inconsistency in my story. So my story is consistent language.

In addition, my story is totally within the possibility of physical reality. It could have happened. There even exists a town 20 miles from me and plenty of restaurants that have large fields next to them. In reality I could have landed at any of those restaurants with a paramotor.

However, there is one problem. I don't own a paramotor, nor have I ever flown one.

The story is clearly false, but only because of a few details. Details that could have been true. I'm actually thinking about buying a paramotor and learning to fly. So who knows? Maybe next year this story can be true.

But currently it's not true. Even though it's perfectly consistent in terms of language.

So I don't see where consistent language is any indication of truth/fact/reality. You can tell big whopping lies using consistent language. So consistent language is no indicator of truth.

[imhereforyou]

How to discern fact/reality from fiction?
What is the criteria, please?

Regards

___________

St Ambrose’s life from the Prologue:

"This great Father of the Orthodox Church was of eminent parentage. His father was the imperial governor of Gaul and Spain, and a pagan, while his mother was a Christian. While he was still in his cradle, a swarm of bees once settled on him, left some honey on his lips and flew off; and, while still a child, he thrust out his hand and said prophetically: ‘Kiss it, for I shall be a bishop!’ On the death of his father, the Emperor made him governor of Liguria, of which province Milan was the chief city. When the bishop of Milan died, there was great dissention between the Orthodox Christians and the heretical Arians about the choice of a new bishop. Ambrose went into the church to keep order, this being his responsibility. Thereupon, a child at its mother’s breast cried out: ‘Ambrose for bishop!’ All the people took this to be the voice of God, and unanimously elected Ambrose as their bishop, although it was against his will. Ambrose was baptised, and passed through all the necessary ranks in one week, and was consecrated bishop. In this capacity, he strengthened the faith of the Orthodox, restrained heretics, adorned churches, spread the Faith among the pagans, wrote many instructive books and was an example of a true Christian and a true shepherd." ..........
.........
......
"God granted this man, who was so pleasing to Him, such grace that he could raise the dead, drive demons from men, heal the sick of every ailment and see into the future. He died peacefully at daybreak on Easter Day in the year 397. [7]"
http://logismoitouaaron.blogspot.ca/200 ... se-of.html

How to discern fact/reality from fiction?
The individual makes that decision based on their own point of view. Some see facts and accept them because they're facts. Others see facts and ask for clarification from a book or invisible deity or a song or a phase to make their decision.
There's not one answer for everyone.
What is the criteria, please?
Individuality. Which is one reason why religions tend to convince people to have blind faith. Faith erases individual thought.

[liamconnor]

[Replying to post 1 by paarsurrey1]

What is the context of the question?

I see a vague question followed by a quote without any tie to the question.