Truth (Oxford Readings in Philosophy) [Paperback]

Simon Blackburn (Editor), Keith Simmons (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0198752504 | ISBN-13: 978-0198752509 | Publication Date: October 7, 1999

This volume is designed to set out some of the central issues in the theory of truth. It draws together, for the first time, the debates between philosophers who favor 'robust' or 'substantive' theories of truth, and those other, 'deflationist' or minimalists, who deny that such theories can be given. The editors provide a substantial introduction, in which they look at how the debates relate to further issues, such as the Liar paradox and formal truth theories.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Simon Blackburn is Edna S. Koury Distinguished Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His publications include Spreading the Word (OUP, 1984), The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy (OUP, 1994), and Ruling Passions (OUP, 1998).

Keith Simmons is Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is author of Universality and the Liar: An Essay on Truth and the Diagonal Argument (CUP, 1993).

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (October 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198752504
• ISBN-13: 978-0198752509
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,378,101 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Simon Blackburn is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. He was Edna J. Doury Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina, and from 1969 to 1990 was a Fellow and Tutor at Pembroke College, Oxford. He is the author of The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy and the best-selling Think and Being Good, among other books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, July 25, 2004

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G. T. (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Truth (Oxford Readings in Philosophy) (Paperback)

This is a very useful collection of 20. century writings about veritatis natura, the nature of truth. But instead of a textbook introduction to the key thinkers and basic theories (such as R.L. Kirkham's Theories of Truth: A Critical Introduction) we get ipsissima verba, their very own words.

Often it proves too complicated and difficult for the beginner to get an overview of a debate by reading the original articles and therefore he will benefit from reading an introductory textbook first. This is not the case here. Although some of the articles in this volume can be quite technical, Krikham's introduction is no less technical, and in my oppinion, this volume is the superior introduction for the beginner, while Kirkham's otherwise excellent book is recommended for the more advanced student of philosophy.

This volume contains classic readings by authors such as William James, Bertrand Russell, Gottlob Frege, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Alfred Tarski, W.V.O. Quine, Peter Strawson, J.L. Austin, Paul Horwich, Michael Dummett, Donald Davidson, Anil Gupta and Richard Rorty to name a few. I think it is fair to say that most, if not all significant theories of truth advanced in the 20. century are covered in this volume. There is also an introduction by Simon Blackburn and Keith Simmons (the editors), which helps to put things into perspective. There is also a select bibliography which serves as a suggestion for further reading. My only complaint is that the book's index could be better.

If you are interested in theories of truth or the philosophy of language, you should buy this book.