Description:
In What's the Use of Truth?, American pragmatist Richard Rorty and French analytic philosopher Pascal Engel present their radically different perspectives on truth and its correspondence to reality. Rorty doubts that the notion of truth can be of any practical use and points to the preconceptions that lie behind truth in the intellectual and social spheres. Engel prefers a realist conception, defending the relevance and value of truth as a norm of belief and inquiry in both science and the public domain. Rorty finds more danger in using the notion of truth than in getting rid of it. Engel thinks it is important to hold on to the idea that truth is an accurate representation of reality. What's the Use of Truth? is a rare opportunity to experience each side of this impassioned debate clearly and concisely. The subject has profound implications not only for philosophical inquiry but also for the future study of all aspects of our culture.
Review Quotes: Necessary for serious philosophy collections.--Booklist