Customer Reviews

Truth (Oxford Readings in Philosophy)

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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.