True to Life: Why Truth Matters (Bradford Books) [Hardcover]

Michael P. Lynch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2004 | Series: Bradford Books

Gold Award Winner for Philosophy in the 2004 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards

Why does truth matter, when politicians so easily sidestep it and intellectuals scorn it as irrelevant? Why be concerned over an abstract idea like truth when something that isn't true—for example, a report of Iraq's attempting to buy materials for nuclear weapons—gets the desired result—the invasion of Iraq? In this engaging and spirited book, Michael Lynch argues that truth does matter, in both our personal and political lives. Lynch explains that the growing cynicism over truth stems in large part from our confusion over what truth is. "We need to think our way past our confusion and shed our cynicism about the value of truth," he writes. "Otherwise, we will be unable to act with integrity, to live authentically, and to speak truth to power."

True to Life defends four simple claims: that truth is objective; that it is good to believe what is true; that truth is a goal worthy of inquiry; and that truth can be worth caring about for its own sake—not just because it gets us other things we want. In defense of these "truisms about truth," Lynch diagnoses the sources of our cynicism and argues that many contemporary theories of truth cannot adequately account for its value. He explains why we should care about truth, arguing that truth and its pursuit are part of living a happy life, important in our personal relationships and for our political values.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"True to Life is a passionate demonstration that truth matters; it is strikingly clear and painstakingly reasoned, and ranges from technical work in the philosophy of logic to a discussion of the role of truth-telling in government."
— Anthony Gottlieb, The New York Times Book Review

"This is an important and timely volume, and philosophy owes Lynch a considerable debt."
— Duncan Pritchard, The Philosophers' Magazine

"True to Life is a bracing antidote to the disease of postmodern cynicism that renders truth impossible and leaves us with nothing but wind-blown opinion."
— Douglas Groothuis, The Denver Post

"True to Life...asserts some simple truths about truth; for example, that it's good, [and] that it's worthy of pursuit..."
— Richard Halicks, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"An engagingly written, carefully reasoned defence of 'objective truth' as a respectable, even desirable goal and standard."
— Barry Allen, The Globe and Mail

"True to Life performs a major public service. Michael Lynch explains with engaging energy and clarity why the concept of truth matters to a decent public culture. Fully accessible to people without prior philosophical training, the book nonetheless explains serious philosophical debates with considerable sophistication. It will be wonderful for use (and debate) in undergraduate courses in many disciplines, but it is also just good reading for anyone who is interested in unmasking deception and confusion, and who thinks that this activity matters for the health of democracy."
—Martha Nussbaum, The University of Chicago

"Lynch has undertaken the crucially important project of presenting and defending the view that truth, in a robust sense of the term, is viable, attainable, and important for our lives. By virtue of his mastery of the subject matter and his gift for exposition, he is well suited to carry out this difficult task, and he has done so with consummate skill."
—William P. Alston, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Syracuse University

"Issues concerning intellectual value have come to the fore in recent essay collections, monographs, and journal articles. Why is knowledge valuable beyond true belief? What is the value of truth itself? This book by Michael Lynch is a timely, and excellent, contribution to that emerging field."
—Ernest Sosa, Departments of Philosophy, Brown University and Rutgers University

From the Publisher

From the New York Times Book Review (July 24, 2005): "Lynch's 'True to Life' is a passionate demonstration that truth matters; it is strikingly clear and painstakingly reasoned, and ranges from technical work in the philosophy of logic to a discussion of the role of truth-telling in government (yes, Iraq is mentioned). He argues that caring about truth is necessary for happiness because of the roles in our lives of authenticity and integrity, and that valuing truth for its own sake is an essential part of democracy."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press (October 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262122677
• ISBN-13: 978-0262122672
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,890,270 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why Truth Matters, January 4, 2005

By 

Katherine Wylie (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: True to Life: Why Truth Matters (Bradford Books) (Hardcover)

This book has all of the qualities that might be attributed to the term "thought-provoking". Common questions regarding the attainability, relativity, and inherent goodness of truth, are addressed. Also includes popular criticisms of truth as a means to and end and truth as fiction- are analyzed rigorously. Easily accessible to everyone from the casual reader to the doctoral candidate. Katherine Wylie

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much needed defense of the importance of truth, May 24, 2005

By 

Charles Fletcher "Charles Fletcher" (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: True to Life: Why Truth Matters (Bradford Books) (Hardcover)

If you've read much of the philosophical literature on truth, there is a strong chance that you have asked whether the discussion is relevant to your life and circumstances. It is very easy to pigeonhole this subject as academic and move on to others that seem more applicable to everyday life.

In a much needed work on the topic, Lynch argues that the concept of truth *is* important in one's personal and political life. The book proceeds by exposing the existing theories that have contributed to the attitude that the concept of truth is either unnecessary or insignificant, and providing specific reasons to tie truth to our desire for leading a full and authentic life.

Though previous reviews have claimed that Lynch's "politics intrude at several points," I would argue that any political color found in the book is merely supplemental, and can be taken or left aside from the central theses. Also, given that the book is intended to bridge the gap between the seemingly academic and the moral and political, some degree of commentary on current political events are a natural element to the book.

The takeaway is that the book is a stimulating read, and I would recommend it to anyone who either is interested in truth as a subject to itself, or is dubious/curious about its relation to everyday life.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars True to Life, August 17, 2008

By 

David D. "Urban Suburban" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: True to Life: Why Truth Matters (Bradford Books) (Paperback)

Michael Lynch offers a thoughtful account of the import of truth as it applies to our lives individually and collectively. His is not an introduction to theories of truth (Thus, suggestion that he takes for granted the trouble in defining truth is unfair). Rather, it is an exposition on the value of truth as objective in contrast with relativism in general. As individuals, we can value truth and pursue it for its own sake and collectively, we can and should demand truth, particularly in light of tenuous political claims that affect our lives globally. Such demand is inherently predicated on a sense and endorsement of truth as objective, which is precisely Lynch's point, among others.