Objective Facts

Howard Sankey

doi:10.1515/mp-2021-0042

Article

Objective Facts

Howard Sankey

Published/Copyright: March 22, 2022

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From the journal Metaphysica Volume 23 Issue 1

Abstract

This is a brief exploration of the notion of an objective fact. The form of objectivity at issue is distinct from epistemic objectivity or objectivity about truth. It is an ontological form of objectivity. Objective facts may obtain whether or not we know, believe or are aware of them. They depend upon objects, for example, on the properties that objects have or the relationships into which objects enter. Setting scepticism to one side, there is a perfectly mundane sense in which we may come to have knowledge or fail to have knowledge of such facts. We must perceive objective facts from a perspective, but this does not enter into the facts. Nor does the fact that we must describe facts using language mean that facts are language-dependent.

Keywords: fact; objectivity; objective fact; perspective; knowledge

Corresponding author: Howard Sankey, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia, E-mail: chs@unimelb.edu.au

Received: 2021-10-31

Accepted: 2022-01-16

Published Online: 2022-03-22

Published in Print: 2022-04-27

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/mp-2021-0042

Keywords for this article

fact; objectivity; objective fact; perspective; knowledge