Do any of us really care about truth when it comes to politics? Should we? In a world of big lies, denialism, and conspiracy theories, democracies are experiencing two interlocked crises: a loss of confidence in democracy itself and the growing sense among many that politics is only about power—not truth. In this book, Michael Patrick Lynch argues that truth not only can—but must—matter in politics. He shows why truth is an essential democratic value—a value we need to sustain our democratic way of life—and how it can be strengthened.
Despite evidence that people are rarely motivated by truth when it comes to politics, On Truth in Politics argues that this isn’t inevitable. Accessibly written and rigorously argued, it draws on the American pragmatist tradition to develop an original theory of the nature and value of truth in the messy world of politics. Contrary to the belief of many, political beliefs can be true or false. But if democracy is to continue to be a space of reason and not just an arena of power, we must build a better infrastructure of knowledge, including stronger schools and media, and renew our commitment to science and history.
A vital and timely book, On Truth in Politics makes an original case for why democracy cannot survive without truth.
Michael Patrick Lynch is Provost Professor of the Humanities and Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut. His books include The Internet of Us: Knowing More and Understanding Less in the Age of Big Data and Know-It-All Society: Truth and Arrogance in Political Culture, winner of the Orwell Award for Distinguished Contribution to Honesty and Clarity in Public Language.
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"Lynch makes an eloquent case for the importance of truth as a core but increasingly tenuous democratic value. . . . If democracies are to survive, their citizens will need to regain their belief that they inhabit a common space in which facts, data, and evidence do exist."—G. John Ikenberry, Foreign Affairs
"On Truth in Politics is about an important topic, arguably the most important topic facing us today: how do we foster both truth and responsible politics? How do we preserve both our democracy and our contact with reality, and how are these connected? For those concerned with these questions—which should be everyone—this book is essential reading."—John Capps, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
"Lynch has provided a timely and thoughtful re-examination of the role of truth as a vital component in democratic practice."—Jeff Roquen, LSE Review of Books
"Accessible. . . . Highly recommended for readers interested in current public affairs and the contemporary state of politics."—Library Journal
“In this book, Michael Patrick Lynch makes a compelling, down-to-earth case for the necessity of truth. His argument is vitally important and timely, especially in our disturbing age of political regress, in which fair elections are declared stolen and bizarre conspiracy theories are held by a staggering number of people.”—Cheryl Misak, author of Frank Ramsey: A Sheer Excess of Powers
“On Truth in Politics is a provocative and compelling argument about what truth is and how we should go about understanding its role in our lives as democratic citizens.”—Robert B. Talisse, author of Civic Solitude: Why Democracy Needs Distance
