Truth (Central Problems of Philosophy, 4) (Volume 4) - Softcover

Engel, Pascal

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0773524622 ISBN 13: 9780773524620

Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2002

Synopsis

After a brief presentation of the classical conceptions of truth - correspondence, coherence, verificationist, and pragmatist theories - the book focuses on the debate between those who favour "substantive" conceptions of this classical kind and those who advocate so-called "minimalist" and "deflationist" conceptions and deny that truth can be any more than a thin concept, carrying no metaphysical weight.

Engel argues that, although the minimalist conception of truth is basically right, it does not follow that truth can be eliminated from our philosophical thinking, as is claimed by some radical deflationists. In particular, he shows that some deflationist views have a definitively relativist and "postmodernist" ring and should be rejected. Even if a metaphysically substantive theory of truth has little chance to succeed, he argues, truth plays a central role as a norm or guiding value of our rational inquiries and practices in the philosophy of knowledge and in ethics.

About this title

From the Back Cover

General Editor: John Shand

This series of books presents concise, clear, and rigorous analyses of the core problems that preoccupy philosophers across all approaches to the discipline. Each book encapsulates the essential arguments and debates, providing an authoritative guide to the subject while also introducing original perspectives. This series of twenty or so books by an international team of authors aims to cover those fundamental topics that, taken together, constitute the full breadth of philosophy.

Edition details

• Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0773524622
• ISBN 13: 9780773524620
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192