Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Archimedes, Richard Rorty and Graeme Forbes

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2 ideas

3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 9. Rejecting Truth
Rorty seems to view truth as simply being able to hold one's view against all comers [Rorty, by O'Grady]
     Full Idea: Rorty seems to view truth as simply being able to hold one's view against all comers.
     From: report of Richard Rorty (Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature [1980]) by Paul O'Grady - Relativism Ch.4
     A reaction: This may be a caricature of Rorty, but he certainly seems to be in the business of denying truth as much as possible. This strikes me as the essence of pragmatism, and as a kind of philosophical nihilism.
3. Truth / E. Pragmatic Truth / 1. Pragmatic Truth
For James truth is "what it is better for us to believe" rather than a correct picture of reality [Rorty]
     Full Idea: Truth is, in James' phrase, "what it is better for us to believe", rather than "the accurate representation of reality".
     From: Richard Rorty (Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature [1980], Intro)