[Avodah] Multivalent truth

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, Apr 30, 2019 at 11:54:27PM +0000, Rich, Joel via Avodah wrote:
: From R B'Bednarsh on halachic pluralism:
:> Accordingly, when commentaries argue regarding the correct halakhic
:> ruling, this represents not a lack of clear knowledge but a deeper
:> knowledge of the multivalent truth about this particular halakhic
:> matter. The complex rulings of the later poskim are the proper
:> applications of that multifaceted truth...

: How do you reconcile this with the classic brisker chakira which seems
: to look at halachic truth as Boolean?

I think R Bednarsh is confusing two of Aristo's laws of logic. Multivalent
logic rejects the classical Law of Excluded Middle -- there is true,
false, and nothing in between. Multivalent logic says their are other
valencies. The Law of Contradiction -- something and its inverse cannot
both be true at the same time -- is more relevant to eilu va'eilu divrei
E-lokim Chaim.

Although it does find a rational basis for both sides of machloqes,
so I'm not sure it's true.

In either case, the Rambam bought into Aristotilian logic, and
(therefore?) doesn't believe both sides of a machloqes are equally
true. To the Rambam, machloqes is due to attempt to reconstruct the
forgotten; and one side is indeed in error. We just do our best to
minimize the chance that we're following that side. And since Briskers so
heavily lean on the Rambam, maybe R Chaim accepts the Rambam's position
on this too. And so if there is a conflict between the ideas multiple
truths and Brisker derekh, it wouldn't be a problem. Brisker derekh
might not accept a literal eilu va'eilu anyway.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 11th day, which is
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