Bernard Lonergan and the Virtually Unconditioned Judgment of Fact

A Photo of Jesuit Philosopher Bernard Lonergan

Philosopher, Bernard Lonergan defines a Fact Judgment as a Virtually Unconditioned Judgment of Fact, which is really a Provisional Judgment of Fact. You see, given Quantum Physics and Aunitary Reality, it is impossible to have absolute, objective, certainty about anything. In fact, Logic is really probable Logic which operates at 99.9999999% real probablity in the real world. However, human beings typically use the naive realist idea that reality is 100% real, when it really isn't. Lonergan saw this and thus taught that there is not absolute judgment of fact, but instead there is, at best, a provisional, "Virtually" unconditioned judgment of fact. As we know, the term, "virtual" really means "as if," in the same way we speak of the Virtual Reality of a Computer World. In fact, the only real judments of fact are probable judgments of fact. Any virtual judgment of fact is an "as if" absolute judgment of fact which is provisional, that is, subject to later revision on the basis of new and better facts of experience, new understanding, and a new provisional judgment of fact which is virtually real, or, a de facto absolute real for now, which itself is provision, and, subject to the possibility of later critique and revision. Put another way, any judgment of fact, stated as such, is a de facto absolute, subject to revision based upon experience and logical reasoning therefrom, or on the basis of experience, understanding, judgment and reflection.

(C)Perpetual Copyright (2011) by Anthony Faber and Neothomism, P.C. (PA)