Truth

A book emerging from the author's Gifford Lectures in Glasgow in 2004, its central theme is the tension between absolute and relative viewpoints, especially in our own time when both tendencies are as pronounced as ever. Citing Francis Bacon's Novum Organum at the start of each chapter, Blackburn traverses a great deal of epistemological terrain, touching on faith, science, history and the puzzles thrown up by different approaches as well as the results of deconstructionist post-modernism. Refreshingly, he argues that there are real standards of argument and discourse, of objectivity and confidence in our views. A skilful modulation that leaves the reader with a more sophisticated understanding of competing viewpoints.