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Harry G Frankfurt’s book: ‘On Bullshit’

Author: Tony Pay ★2017
Date: 2018-10-09 02:36

There’s a lovely little book by the philosopher Harry Frankfurt that I would recommend to anyone.

Frankfurt analyses the phenomenon of ‘bullshit’ as a genuine philosophical category. Bullshit is not lying; indeed it’s not characterisable in terms of its relationship to the truth, because it lies outside the categories of truth and falsehood. It disregards the categories truth/falsehood.

It is therefore possible to bullshit whilst saying something that is true.

People here have said that the purpose of this BBoard is not to deal with the truth of things. It’s to have conversations ‘over the garden fence’ with others marginally interested in the clarinet.

Frankfurt characterises that sort of conversation as belonging to what he (and others) call ‘bull-sessions’, in which – sometimes under the influence of alcohol, though not necessarily – you can say ANYTHING, and not have it subsequently held against you.

I think that this is something we should not do here. There is more value to be had by not doing so.

Read the book, and tell me whether you agree.

Tony

Post Edited (2018-10-09 18:31)

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