Understanding Truth - Hardcover

Soames, Scott

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0195111516 ISBN 13: 9780195111514

Publisher: OUP USA, 1999

Synopsis

Scott Soames illuminates the notion of truth and the role it plays in our ordinary thought, as well as in our logical, philosophical, and scientific theories. The main questions investigated include "Why do we need a truth predicate at all?", "What theoretical tasks does it allow us to accomplish?", and "How must we understand the content of any predicate capable of accomplishing these tasks?". The main aim of the book is to integrate and extend the most important insight on truth from a variety of sources.

About this title

Review

Soames's introduction to partially defined predicates is exemplary, one that presupposes virtually no background in logic or maths. ... Soames's interpretation of Kripke's 'truth value gaps' in terms of partially defined predicates ... is arguably the best available interpretation on the market; and Soames's discussion of this interpretation, like his other discussions, is a paradigm of clarity. For these reasons alone the book is well worth reading. (Australasian Journal of Philosophy, vol.79, no.2)

While there are many introductions to Kripke's theory of truth there are none that rival Soames's presentation ... Soames's presentation of the theory is not only clear, careful, and rigorous, but is likewise, and atypically user-friendly. (Australasian Journal of Philosophy, vol.79, no.2)

One ... feature is the sheer clarity of the writing and the care with which arguments are given and discussed. In this way the book serves as an example of how to write philosophy; and this is no snall accomplishment, especially in the face of its frequent absence in contemporary philosophical books. (Australasian Journal of Philosophy, vol.79, no.2)

Synopsis

In this volume, the author illuminates the notion of truth and the role it plays in our ordinary thought, as well as in our logical, philosophical and scientific theories. The main questions investigated include "Why do we need a truth predicate at all?", "What theoretical tasks does it allow us to accomplish?" and "How must we understand the content of any predicate capable of accomplishing these tasks?". The main aim of the book is to integrate and extend the most important insight on truth from a variety of sources.

Edition details

• Publisher: OUP USA
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0195111516
• ISBN 13: 9780195111514
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 280