PHIL475/575 SP24
Truth and Fact (PHIL475/575)
Dr. Cory Wright
Tuesdays & Thursdays · 12:30pm–1:45pm · LA5–246
This course is about the nature of truth and fact. We will survey a variety of conceptions, such as inflationism, deflationism, and pluralism, as well as specific theories. Among the latter, we will investigate the correspondence, identity, coherence, epistemic, redundancy, performative, disquotational, minimal, prosentential, pragmatist, and eliminativist theories. Along the way, we will brush against a variety of contemporary issues pertaining to the instrumental and intrinsic value of truth, the relationship to objectivity, the varieties of truth-bearers and import of truth-makers, and related concerns pertaining to accuracy, partiality, and verisimiltude. The course does not presuppose any advanced knowledge of philosophical logic or historical figures or movements. Classic and contemporary readings will likely draw from from Stout, Bosanquet, Russell, Blanshard, Wittgenstein, Ramsey, Twardowski, Tarski, Ayer, Austin, Strawson, Grossman, Quine, David, Horwich, Simons, Woleński, Dodd, Dummett, Wright, Sher, Lynch, Ferrari, Edwards, Milgram, Ulatowski, and others.