The Art & Mystery of Truth Telling.
The difference between “thinking you know” and “knowing” you know.
I tried to find a simple explanation of the 2500 year old concept the Greeks wrote about. Everyone gets wrapped up in bullshit like a pretzel… here is what that great oracle Wikipedia says: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxa. I got bored about half way through that pile.
Mere opinion… Your mother/father told you, therefore you believe it for sure.
Opinion… 6 eye witnesses picked the defendant out of a line up. A jury heard the case and decided (based on the eye witness testimony) that the defendant was guilty of murder. The jury decided to sentence the defendant to death. The jury was convinced “beyond a shadow of doubt”. The Supreme Court of the USA renders: “Opinions”.
Doxa… Indubitability and Certitude. The absolute quality of being unquestionable, certain, and impossible to doubt. You watched the jumper leap off the ledge and fall to the sidewalk.
Nous… Indubitability and Certitude over the course of time. The Sun will rise tomorrow. (Unless it supernovas..). Off hand, I can say I myself do not know of any truth at the level of Nous.
This is why genealogists demand serious proof and hard evidence before they render an opinion.
I shoot for Doxa. If I can’t reach that level, I whine that it is a theory or “in my opinion”.
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