▁is ▁a ▁concept ▁in ▁met aph ys ics ▁discussed ▁in ▁deb ates ▁between ▁philosoph ical ▁real ism ▁and ▁anti - real ism . ▁Philosoph ers ▁who ▁appeal ▁to ▁truth - value ▁links ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁explain ▁how ▁individuals ▁can ▁come ▁to ▁understand ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁world ▁that ▁are ▁apparently ▁cogn it ively ▁in access ible ▁( the ▁past , ▁the ▁feelings ▁of ▁others , ▁etc .) ▁are ▁called ▁truth - value ▁link ▁real ists . ▁ ▁Tr uth - value ▁link ▁real ism ▁▁ ▁Pro ponents ▁of ▁truth - value ▁link ▁real ism ▁argue ▁that ▁our ▁understanding ▁of ▁past - ten se ▁statements ▁allows ▁us ▁to ▁grasp ▁the ▁truth - cond itions ▁of ▁the ▁statements , ▁even ▁if ▁they ▁are ▁evidence - trans c endent . ▁They ▁explain ▁this ▁by ▁not ing ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁un problem atic ▁for ▁us ▁to ▁concept ual ize ▁a ▁present - ten se ▁true ▁statement ▁being ▁true ▁in ▁the ▁future . ▁In ▁other ▁words , ▁if ▁" It ▁is ▁ra ining ▁today " ▁is ▁true ▁today , ▁then ▁" It ▁was ▁ra ining ▁yesterday " ▁will ▁be ▁true ▁tom orrow . ▁Tr uth - value ▁link ▁real ists ▁argue ▁that ▁this ▁same ▁construction ▁can ▁be ▁applied ▁to ▁past - ten se ▁statements . ▁For ▁example , ▁" It ▁was ▁ra ining ▁yesterday " ▁is ▁true ▁today ▁if ▁and ▁only ▁if ▁" It ▁is ▁ra ining ▁today " ▁was ▁true ▁yesterday . ▁ ▁The ▁truth - value ▁link ▁allows ▁us ▁to ▁understand ▁the ▁following . ▁First , ▁suppose