ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Criteria of truth

When you're trying to figure out if something is fact or fiction, you have to look at the criteria of truth. Criteria means standards or guidelines. The criteria of truth are like a checklist you can use to decide if something is true or not.

You can look at who said it. Make sure the person who said it is a reliable source. If you don't know who said it, you can't trust it.

You can look for proof. Does the person have evidence to back up their claim? If not, it may not be true.

You can also look at the logic behind the statement. Does the statement make sense and can you explain why it is true? If the statement makes no sense, it might not be true.

Last, you can look for other sources that say the same thing. Can you find someone else talking about it? If two reliable sources both say the same thing, it may be true.

These are the criteria of truth -- these are the guidelines that can help you decide if something is true or not.