From one to many: recent work on truth

In this paper, we offer a brief, critical survey of contemporary work on truth. We begin by reflecting on the distinction between substantivist and deflationary truth theories. We then turn to three new kinds of truth theory—Kevin Scharp's replacement theory, John MacFarlane's relativism, and the alethic pluralism pioneered by Michael Lynch and Crispin Wright. We argue that despite their considerable differences, these theories exhibit a common "pluralizing tendency" with respect to truth. In the final section, we look at the underinvestigated interface between metaphysical and formal truth theories, pointing to several promising questions that arise here

Sea-Glass Knives

A prose poem reflecting on the impact of truth and lies

Three Doctrines of the Nature of Mathematics (Some Comments of a Knowledge Theorist)

In this note I am reflecting on interrelations between three concepts of truth: (1) that employed by Hilbert arguing his formalist view on the nature of mathematics, (2) Freges idea of truth supported by mathematical intuition, and (3) known as Aristotelian correspondence idea of truth concerning any propositions not merely mathematical.Zadanie „ Wdrożenie platformy Open Journal System dla czasopisma „ Bulletin of the Section of Logic” finansowane w ramach umowy 948/P-DUN/2016 ze środków Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego przeznaczonych na działalność upowszechniającą naukę

Stigmatized Words: A Defense of Political Correctness

The debate over political correctness and the repression of speech has experienced a resurgence in the 2016 election season. “Political correctness is killing people,” Senator Ted Cruz remarked in December 2015. This thesis explores the liberal justification for the repressing politically incorrect speech and challenges the association of expressive freedom with truth, a position linked to John Stuart Mill’s philosophy of liberty and George Orwell’s denunciation of political speech. Reflecting contemporary postmodern views on language and liberation, I ultimately defend political correctness as a way to reflect social stigmatization, render stigmatized words more visible, and enhance linguistic agency

Waarheidsteorieë en interpretasie 1

In this article two theories for the evaluation of the truth of interpretations of ancient written texts arc considered, namely, a correspondence theory of truth and a coherence theory of truth. The author opts for a coherence theory of truth. This choice is motivated by considering these two theories of truth in the context of different and conflicting interpretations of Paul’s Letter to the Romans. The preference for a coherence theory of truth in the context of interpretation is also placed in a broader hermeneutical and philosophical context, reflecting on such issues as foundationalism, fundamentalism, modernity and post-modemity. In the final section, a response is given to a number of issues raised by W.J. Ouweneel

Veritas Fax Ardens – Truth Is a Flaming Torch

Based on the vast amount of truth theories that have been suggested by a myriad of thinkers from various disciplines, it can be inferred that the question of truth has occupied humankind since the beginning of its existence. Even though some of these theories appear more promising than others, it also seems that every suggested answer poses yet further questions about what truth really is. This seemingly endless stream of debates and contradictory theories further indicates that the nature of truth remains an enigma and subject to interpretation. Reflecting on Dominican University’s Latin motto “Veritas Fax Ardens” (Truth Is a Flaming Torch), this thesis explores the nature and subjectivity of truth in the form of narrative nonfiction. In particular, this creative work asks what truth is, and how different thinkers from disciplines such as philosophy, religion, science, and literature approach the question of truth. Lastly, it is also a reflection of my academic journey, which led me to believe that truth might be as variable as the flickering light of a flaming torch

Progress and Historical Reflection in Philosophy

What is the epistemic significance of reflecting on a discipline’s past for making progress in that discipline? I assume that the answer to this question negatively correlates with that discipline’s degree of progress over time. If and only if a science is progressive, then what people think or argue in that discipline ceases to be up-to-date. In this paper, I will distinguish different dimensions of disciplinary progress and consequently argue that veritic progress, i.e. collective convergence to truth, is the most important dimension for disciplines with scientific ambitions. I will then argue that, on the one hand, veritic progress in philosophy is more significant than many current philosophers believe, but that, on the other hand, it also has severe limitations. I will offer an explanation of these limitations that suggests that the history of philosophy should play some role, though only a minor one, in systematic philosophy

Truth and Politics. A Vulnerable Realm

The objective of this article is to discuss some aspects of Hannah Arendt’s thought on the relationship between truth and politics, which, although they were developed in a different context from the current one, are particularly relevant to reflecting on the notion of the “fake,” a concept which has become such a characteristic feature of contemporary culture that it is now a way of structuring our model of reality. Arendt’s contribution is analysed following two basic lines of argument. Firstly, we seek to show that her ideas reveal the problem of truth as it currently emerges to be one of indifference towards reality and the world. Subsequently we explain how this indifference relates to another key point in Arendt’s thought, namely, responsibility towards this same world. Once the synergy between responsibility and the world has been established, we examine the roles of the narrator and the spectator in constructing the relationship between truth and lies.The objective of this article is to discuss some aspects of Hannah Arendt’s thought on the relationship between truth and politics, which, although they were developed in a different context from the current one, are particularly relevant to reflecting on the notion of the “fake,” a concept which has become such a characteristic feature of contemporary culture that it is now a way of structuring our model of reality. Arendt’s contribution is analysed following two basic lines of argument. Firstly, we seek to show that her ideas reveal the problem of truth as it currently emerges to be one of indifference towards reality and the world. Subsequently we explain how this indifference relates to another key point in Arendt’s thought, namely, responsibility towards this same world. Once the synergy between responsibility and the world has been established, we examine the roles of the narrator and the spectator in constructing the relationship between truth and lies

Implications of \u3cem\u3eCaritas in Veritate\u3c/em\u3e for Marketing and Business Ethics

In an effort to assess the latest thinking in the Roman Catholic Church on economic matters, we examine the newest encyclical by Pope Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth) for guidance concerning marketing and business strategy. Core ethical values, consistent with historical Catholic Social Teachings (CST), are retained. However, some important nuances are added to previous treatments, and, reflecting the mind of the current Pontiff, certain points of emphasis are shifted to account for recent global developments. Key areas of consistency and differences (as we perceive them) are spelled out along with some brief commentary on the evolution of the CST position on matters of importance to business decision makers. We close our analysis with a brief discussion of how the lessons of the encyclical can be applied to selected marketing problems embedded with ethical issues, including some criteria for evaluating marketing programs. Finally, we note some editorial commentary published in the wake of the letter’s release along with our own summation