Die koherensieteorie sê ‘n oortuiging is waar as dit inpas in ‘n groter geheel van oortuigings wat mekaar onderskraag, soos ‘n stukkie in ‘n legkaart. Samehang is ‘n goeie toets vir waarheid, maar nie dieselfde as waarheid nie: ‘n roman kan volmaak saamhang en tog nooit gebeur het nie.
The coherence theory says a belief is true when it fits into a larger whole of beliefs that support one another, like a piece in a jigsaw puzzle. Coherence is a good test for truth, but not the same as truth: a novel can hang together perfectly and never have happened.