Truisms are statements based on factual evidence that are widely accepted without further proof. Aphorisms are similar but express opinions rather than facts. Axioms are not examined closely and are used as starting premises for deductive arguments. Overused truisms can become clichés, but carefully chosen ones can be timeless in literature.
A truism is a statement based on strong factual evidence that is normally obvious to the point where further evidence is deemed unnecessary. A certain figure of speech or philosophy is often designated as a truism when contradicting or questioning the claim would largely be considered illogical or even silly. This type of statement is often portrayed as an intuitive or accepted truth about life in general because the vast majority of people agree with it. Their agreement with a truism is usually so complete that most people don’t wonder why they agree with it in the first place. One of these obviously true figures of speech sometimes appears in literature or philosophical writings to underscore a point or to create a tone of irony about the subject.
An aphorism is often classified as a type of truism, although the argument often expresses a widely held belief or opinion rather than an observable fact. The wording of an aphorism can sometimes be more intricate or captivating than that of other forms of truisms. It is logically possible to contradict an aphorism and hold an opposing opinion, and the people who do tend to be a minority in many cases. The main distinction of an aphorism is that it often has a slightly higher degree of subjectivity than other figures of speech.
Another statement closely related to a truism is an axiom, which is a statement that is not normally examined closely beyond its surface meaning. Axioms are usually not presented with supporting proofs because this type of proof is not considered necessary in most cases. Some areas of logic, such as applied critical thinking, sometimes involve the use of a particular axiom as the starting premise for a deductive argument. This use of an axiom does not usually serve the same ironic purpose as in the case of a standard truism.
The study of truisms can sometimes be prone to errors such as presenting opinions as truth and overusing a statement to the point of losing its meaning. This kind of overused truism can eventually become a cliché, particularly when its subject matter illustrates a stereotype about a given idea or concept. Writers who use obvious truths in their literary work often put a lot of thought into choosing one of these sayings that will remain timeless and avoid the common pitfall of turning into a cliché.
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