Fundamental Relations between Truth, Freedom, Dialogue and Personal Identity from the Perspective of the Theory of Speech

Abstract

The article discusses the problem of relations between freedom, truth and the dialogue, and tries to establish what makes the presence of the dialogue to be a symptom of social health. Here speech is being considered in its cognitive function taken as an elementary one. Ordinary functioning of speech and the essence of the dialogue is being seen, first, in the possibility of denial, that is connected with necessary existence of ontic diversity of beings and with the trait of the speaking being as mastering over alternatives. All this conditions are at the base of freedom in its most primary meaning. The second factor that must be considered while trying to understand what constitutes the dialogue in its essence is the need for truth and the necessity of some realisations of truth. These two elements, taken jointly – the possibility of denial and the need for truth – show that the final warrantor of truth is the speaker herself/himself, and the warranty that she/he is giving as speaking is the obligation to act in accordance with her/his statement(-s). This moment of the personal, free reference to always common truth shows how personal identity is being built in the dialogue. Additionally it becomes clear how a new sense can arise with any new statement.