Quentin Skinner - Belief, Truth and Interpretation

Min. 40. Sorry, but an explanation and understanding of the partial rationality of a belief does not amount to an acceptance of the rationality of a belief. E.g. the belief in the power of witches to do harm may be partially rational and consonant with other beliefs etc., but it is not rational per se, so it is not "a perfectly acceptable chain of reasoning" even though it might contain some rational components. Our own rationality is indeed the last court of appeal for a judgment of rationality. Belief in witchcraft (or in gods and ghosts) cannot be purely rational.

Another way of saying this would be that though all people and peoples have got their own partial truths, in the sense that truth is the interactional effect of a consensus, or a socially held belief, those truths need not be true for us, although they may well make us reflect on the status of our own truths and beliefs. Antonio Machado memorably put it thus.

¿Tu verdad? no, la verdad;
y ven conmigo a buscarla.
La tuya guárdatela.

 —Your truth? No—Truth.
Come and seek it with me.
You can keep yours.
It's good enough for you—but not for us.

—oOo—