Continuing with Simon on his book On Truth (2018). We move to part two of the book, where we get down to the procedures used to obtain truth in art, ethics, and science. Simon is well known for his meta-ethics, which is descended from C.L. Stevenson's emotivism. Just as he said in part one that he agreed largely with Strawson's view that to say a sentence is true is to Continue Reading …
Episode 196: Guest Simon Blackburn on Truth (Part One)
The Cambridge/UNC-Chapel Hill/etc. prof best known for his neo-Humean meta-ethics joins Mark, Wes, and Dylan to discuss his book On Truth (2018). What is truth? A pragmatist like William James wants to define truth in terms of the procedures we actually undergo to confirm a claim. Simon instead buys into a performative/deflationist view of truth. The notion can't be defined Continue Reading …
Episode 196: Guest Simon Blackburn on Truth (Citizen Edition)
The Cambridge/etc. prof best known for his neo-Humean meta-ethics joins Mark, Wes, and Dylan to discuss his book On Truth (2018). What is truth? A pragmatist like William James wants to define truth in terms of the procedures we actually undergo to confirm a claim. Simon instead buys into a performative/deflationist view of truth. The notion can't be defined in general, but Continue Reading …
Simon Blackburn vs Sam Harris: Can Science Tell us Right from Wrong?
In a debate with Patricia Churchland, Peter Singer, Sam Harris, and Lawrence Krauss, Simon Blackburn explains why Harris simply has it wrong on whether science can provide substantive guidance on morality: https://youtu.be/qtH3Q54T-M8 There is no doubt, he notes, that "science can inform our values" (and I would add that this goes trivially for many other types of Continue Reading …
Julian Baggini’s Philosophy Monthly – the PEL review
So Mark stole my thunder with his post about AC Grayling, as I was preparing my thoughts about Julian Baggini's regular podcast, Baggini's Philosophy Monthly. Nonetheless, even though Mark hates and wants to upstage me, I will proceed with my ramblings. I found and started listening to Baggini's podcast towards the end of last year and was able to reel off a series of Continue Reading …
In Praise of Nigel Warburton
A few months back in response to a blog post where I lauded our podcast over/against other philosophy podcasts, Jon recommended Philosophy Bites, Little Atoms, and Philosophy: The Classics, among others. Two of these have in common that Nigel Warburton is involved, which is a very good thing. Warburton is a Philosopher and scholar of the history of Philosophy at The Open Continue Reading …