Product Description

Having outlined a theory of bullshit and falsehood, Harry G. Frankfurt turns to what lies beyond them: the truth, a concept not as obvious as some might expect.

Our culture's devotion to bullshit may seem much stronger than our apparently halfhearted attachment to truth. Some people (professional thinkers) won't even acknowledge "true" and "false" as meaningful categories, and even those who claim to love truth cause the rest of us to wonder whether they, too, aren't simply full of it. Practically speaking, many of us deploy the truth only when absolutely necessary, often finding alternatives to be more saleable, and yet somehow civilization seems to be muddling along. But where are we headed? Is our fast and easy way with the facts actually crippling us? Or is it "all good"? Really, what's the use of truth, anyway?

With the same leavening wit and commonsense wisdom that animates his pathbreaking work On Bullshit, Frankfurt encourages us to take another look at the truth: there may be something there that is perhaps too plain to notice but for which we have a mostly unacknowledged yet deep-seated passion. His book will have sentient beings across America asking, "The truth—why didn't I think of that?"

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #231111 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-31
• Released on: 2006-10-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 112 pages

From Booklist
Frankfurt wrote the little bookOn Bullshit (2005) that became a surprise runaway best-seller. It focused on, as the title indicates, people "who are attempting by what they say to manipulate the opinions and the attitudes of those to whom they speak." This sequel, equally brief, trenchant, and deeply thoughtful, is another extended essay, this one on a topic closely related to the first. Frankfurt takes the position that a "deplorable mistake" would be unleashed abroad if there should develop in today's world a widespread lack of caring for the "value and importance" of truth. He finds a disregard for truth "endemic" among publicists and politicians, but he has discovered a similar attitude growing among authors. Frankfurt works with a broad canvas here, averring, "A society that is recklessly and persistently remiss in [supporting and encouraging truth] is bound to decline." Without an appreciation for truth, humans can not consider themselves--take pride in themselves--as rational animals, separate from other animals in that regard. The author is an emeritus professor of philosophy at Princeton, and despite its brevity, this provocative meditation is not light reading. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author
Harry G. Frankfurt is a professor of philosophy emeritus at Princeton University. His books include The Reasons of Love; Necessity, Volition, and Love; and The Importance of What We Care About. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

From AudioFile
ON TRUTH is the sequel to Harry Frankfurt's bestseller, ON BULLSHIT. While ON BULLSHIT may have been cute and entertaining, ON TRUTH is a dense discussion of society's use and misuse of truth, honesty, and candor. Not at all humorous, it may qualify as the longest 90 minutes an audiobook listener may ever experience. The fault does not lie with George Wilson, who is an able narrator. Rather, Wilson sounds as though he is valiantly trudging through the didactic material, ever hopeful that a lighter, more reader-friendly section will appear on the next page. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Customer Reviews

A Voice in the Wilderness
Full disclosure: I am an attorney, not a professor of philosophy. As my profession must deal with unending loads of BS and is one that ostensibly seeks "truth," Dr. Frankfurt's latest essay was required reading. I stress essay and choose to recognize what this book accomplishes rather than what it does not. I found this volume to be a worthy introduction to an exceedingly important topic.

"On Truth" is a sequel to a famous predecessor regarding BS wherein Dr. Frankfurt uses the common vulgarity as a metaphor for the goals of our society. However, he felt that he had failed to adequately show the dangers of indifference to truth, which he defines as the hallmark of BS. His premise is that our society is based on truth sufficient to weather the increasing storms of BS but that the foundations of our culture are susceptible to the continual eroding force of BS. He argues that we need to start paying attention to truth before we lose the concept and are unable to repair the damage being done.

The Declaration of Independence began "We hold these truths to be self-evident" thus, those who went on to accomplish the American Revolution, draft and enact the Constitution, and who were generally recognized as a pretty capable bunch, did not collapse into arguments and finger-pointing about the philosophical niceties of what they were about. The self-evident truths of the founding fathers were rather like Justice Stewart's famous admission that pornography is hard to define, but "I know it when I see it." Truth is a staple of religious training--folks used to get their weekly dose in Sunday School. Thus, the decline in religious observance seems to be closely mirrored by the decline in appreciation for and understanding of truth in general. Too few commentators dare to approach the issue--the vicious attacks on those who profess any belief in truth are all too common, as is the prevailing attitude that "your truth" need not be "my truth."

Accordingly, "On Truth" is more of a warning than a summation. It is a piece of evidence, not proof of the argument. States Dr. Frankfurt: truth is of immense practicality, if we lose respect for truth we cease striving after it, we are more creatures of truth than we admit, ignorance and error have no value, lack of respect for the value of truth will ultimately cost us the very powers that give us the power to create.

Highly Recommended

Don't be fooled by bad reviews
I write this review because there are criticisms that are irrelevant concerning the lack of creativity involved in the writing of this book. One criticism is that it is not thorough. It is not the be-all and end-all. It is a quick, accessible, interesting, insightful read though.

As an undergraduate I double-majored in German & Philosophy. Now I am about to complete my M.A. in German Studies and pursue philosophy as a hobby. I am a pragmatist.

As a pragmatist, the book is also particularly scintillating to me. I am a pragmatist as a direct consequence of William James's Pragmatism, my favourite work of philosophy. I am also reading James's The Meaning of Truth from time to time.

Frankfurt raises a fascinating problem in this work: the problem of a beneficial lie. He also cites 2 works by Montaigne ("Of Liars") and Kant ("On a Supposed Right to Lie from Altruistic Motives"), which I now feel compelled to read if I can obtain thru interlibrary loan.

Frankfurt argues that yes, some things are relative, but reminds me of the importance of getting it right. As I was schooled by a professor steeped in postmodernism, I have to find myself keeping postmodern tendences in thinking in check. Yes, engineers and architects and doctors do not have time for discussing some non-beneficial abstract notion of relativism, nor are they paid to do so. If this was all they focused on, they would not excel in their professions, and would not be successful.

I found this work insightful and personally helpful. More importantly, I found it culturally responsible and with a strong sense of social conscience so absent amongst philosophers that seem more and more ethically bankrupt. The most relevant questions are the most important. The question of truth is one that is relevant to us all. Thus, it is one of the most important.

This is a good starting place and I feel may change peoples lives who have a tendency to lie. I have considered buying it as a gift for some friends of mine, so well did I like this book.

how about some truth about this book?
Truth to tell, it would appear that some humorless admirers of some (let's be honest) less well known philosphers (Simon Blackburn??) have a problem with this little book, which hardly proclaims to be the last word on the subject but is still a thoughtful and entertaining read. Yes, if this is the subject of your dissertation, or your hobby is metaphysics, you might find the Professor's other books more challenging. But if you want a short and very deadpan (think Colbert Report) performance on a big subject, showing tongue-in-cheek how far society has come from the common-sense respect for simple (non-metaphyscial) truth, by all means don't be scared off by people with obscure axes to grind. Refreshing and actually memorable. I intend to stock up for certain "truth challenged" friends on my list!