Just because statements are factual doesn’t mean they represent actual truth.
Just because statements are factual doesn’t mean they represent actual truth. “Objective Reality” is a rare thing to be able to draw clean lines around. The world exists as a collection of subjective experiences, unique to each individual. By reducing ANY of the details of ANY factors (or 2nd order factors, or 3rd order factors, or so on) that go into a situation, you are making it subject to editorialization. Facts presented in that editorialization are subject to error in their attempt to represent its objective reality (this is even assuming that there was an honest attempt to present the reality of the situation fairly to begin with, which is often not true).
In order to have perfect knowledge, you need a closed system. Closed systems are rare. Closed systems simple enough to be understood are even more rare.
Example Facts that Misrepresent Reality
Trump’s Ballots
Fact: “They sent out a thousand ballots. Everybody got two ballots.” - Donald Trump
Implication: There’s a Democratic conspiracy against Trump to give his opponents multiple votes
Reality: Incorrect ballots were sent by mistake, correct ballots were then issued. Even if two ballots were sent this does not mean everyone gets two votes. Votes are matched to individuals. Even sending in both ballots would not result in two votes. Arguably it would result in NO votes, because the ballots may be in conflict with one-another.
African Americans & Jail
Fact: In the United States, African Americans are more likely than caucasians to spend time in jail at some point in their lives.
Implication: There is some sort of racial pre-disposition to breaking the law.
Reality: There are an uncountable litany of factors that contribute to this statistic, from unfair policing & sentencing, to poorer schooling & concentrations of populations in areas of lower socioeconomic status, none of which are due to any sort of “racial pre-disposition”. All of which are beyond the control of any individual to influence.
Dihydrogen Monoxide
Fact: Dihydrogen monoxide is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and kills uncounted thousands of people every year.
Implication: Dihydrogen Monoxide is bad for you.
Reality: Dihydrogen Monoxide is the chemical name for water. It’s not bad for you. True thousands of people drown each year, but that doesn’t mean water is bad for you. This is an example of allowing simply allowing ignorance to persist to misrepresent the truth.
Source
- Trump’s claims about US election security in the first debate were as wildly false as they were incoherent
- Is Dihydrogen Monoxide Dangerous?