Frankfurt, Harry - On Truth

01/19/2007

Alfred Knopf, New York 2006

This is a short book of 100 pages, really light in philosophy with big type-face and wide margins. Author introduces by talking about his assumption in his "On Bullshit" book-- the assumption was that truth was good. Now he is backing up that truth is, well, good.

I- Author describes the inestimable practical value of true facts in the conduct of business, social, technical, medical, engineering and other matter. He briefly confronts two 'postmodern' replies, one is that there is no objective reality, or another that we only call those things as true those that are the subject to a constraint (perhaps socially constructed) we have from economic, political, etc. forces. Author rejects this as too 'glib' and obtuse and refers to engineers, architects and physicians-- there may be many different methods that will work, but many more that simply will not. Thus the opposite of falsity is needed, at least. He admits this may constrain objectivity in the social sciences, history.

II- Even if normative claims are neither true nor false, at least they must have a basis in the factual-- in what things someone did or didn't do-- in order to make the judgments in the first place. This is what being reasonable is about-- being responsive to reasons that are facts.

III- Description of Spinoza's account of loving truth, you cannot help but love it. Things that help you find yourself, discover yourself, and make you grow, expand your capabilities, etc, are what you cannot help but love.

IV- Why is truth so good? We need to cope with reality in order to make our way. We need to know some of the properties of reality so that we can adjust ourselves accordingly. We can feel at home when we are confident we know the truth about something. Ignorance leaves us in the dark, to 'mindless groping' (pg61).

V- We are rational beings-- we need truth in order for our rationality to be meaningful (pg65) because we need facts to be responsive to.

VI-VII Lying separates you from the truth, and since we all dwell in reality (the true), then you are being separated from reality, you are being isolated. We also don't like lying because, if we don't detect it, we are undercutting our confidence in find the truth after all.

VIII- Shakespeare talks of pleasant lies that make us feel better but we know to be lies in a sonnet (pg87). If you can do this, go for it.

IX- We need the truth because we wouldn't know our limitations, our abilities, or much about the world. We wouldn't be able to find ourselves!