Truth in a world of fake news and lies

The rise of post-modernity, as well as post-structuralism, has resulted in an increasingly sceptical stance about the possibility of truth. Neither, however, is entirely responsible for the rise of relativism and individualism. Individualism in the West which has its roots in liberalism and its more extreme offshoot, libertarianism, is manifested in economic rationalism and market capitalism. Freedom is conceived as freedom from all constraints and so the only guide to how individuals should act is based on their emotional reactions at a particular time. It is the emotion felt at a particular time that validates an action and absolves individuals from responsibility, except in a vicarious kind of way, of the consequences of their actions. Expressions, such as “my truth”, suggest that truth has no intersubjective dimension nor connection to an external world. The intent of this chapter is to explore some of the issues arising from the ignoring of truth in the modern world, and to warn of their dangers. It will be argued that a practical conception of truth, linked to practical wisdom, that provides a robust means of good decision-making is a good antidote to the misinformation, fake news, and lies which appear everywhere. The paper will draw on Augustine to retrieve a conception of truth that provides an alternative to the impoverished conceptions of truth that have led to its absence in much of modern discourse, and that have resulted in the acceptance of “fake news” and lies as common phenomena in the public space.

© 2022 selection and editorial matter, Jānis (John) Tālivaldis Ozoliņš; individual chapters, the contributors

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