Final answer:
False. The claim that values and beliefs are the same is false. Values are cultural standards for what is deemed good and just, while beliefs are principles considered true by individuals. Knowledge, subset of belief, must inherently be true to qualify as such.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that values and beliefs are the same is false. While these concepts are related, they embody different aspects of our cultural and personal frameworks. Values signify a culture's standards used to determine what is good and just within society. These are deeply embedded and serve as the framework for teaching and transmitting a culture's beliefs. Beliefs, on the other hand, are convictions or principles that individuals in a society hold to be true.
For example, the American Dream is a belief that posits anyone can achieve success and wealth through hard work. This belief is underpinned by the American value placing high importance and goodness on wealth. Here, the fact-value distinction becomes clear, as values guide how we think things should be, not necessarily how they are.
Truth and belief are also distinct. The Correspondence Theory of Truth posits that for a belief to be true, it must correspond with facts. Knowledge is a subset of belief which must be true; one cannot 'know' something that is false. Distinguishing between truth, knowledge, and belief is essential in understanding and engaging with the world critically and accurately.