Truth

What is truth? Is there anything that all truths have in common that makes them true rather than false? Is truth independent of human thought, or does it depend in some way on what we believe or what we would be justified in believing? In what sense, if any, is it better for beliefs or statements to be true than to be false? In this engaging and accessible new introduction Chase Wrenn surveys a variety of theories of the nature of truth and evaluates their philosophical costs and benefits. Paying particular attention to how the theories accommodate realist intuitions and make sense of truth s value, he discusses a full range of theories from classical correspondence to relatively new deflationary and pluralist accounts. The book provides a clear, non-technical entry point to contemporary debates about truth for non-specialists. Specialists will also find new contributions to those debates, including a new argument for the superiority of deflationism to causal correspondence and pluralist theories. Drawing on a range of traditional and contemporary debates, this book will be of interest to students and scholars alike and anyone interested in the nature and value of truth.

What is truth? Is there anything that all truths have in commonthat makes them true rather than false? Is truth independent ofhuman thought, or does it depend in some way on what we believe orwhat we would be justified in believing? In what sense, if any, isit better for beliefs or statements to be true than to befalse?In this engaging and accessible new introduction Chase Wrennsurveys a variety of theories of the nature of truth and evaluatestheir philosophical costs and benefits. Paying particular attentionto how the theories accommodate realist intuitions and make senseof truth's value, he discusses a full range of theories fromclassical correspondence to relatively new deflationary andpluralist accounts. The book provides a clear, non-technical entrypoint to contemporary debates about truth for non-specialists.Specialists will also find new contributions to those debatesincluding a new argument for the superiority of deflationism tocausal correspondence and pluralist theories.Drawing on a range of traditional and contemporary debates, thisbook will be of interest to students and scholars alike and anyoneinterested in the nature and value of truth.

1. What is Truth?2. Objectivity3. Truth and Normativity4. Epistemic Theories of Truth5. Correspondence Theories of Truth6. Deflationary Theories of Truth7. Pluralist Theories of Truth8. Deflationism Revisited