A Realist Conception of Truth

by William P. Alston

Overview

One of the most important Anglo-American philosophers of our time here joins the current philosophical debate about the nature of truth. William P. Alston formulates and defends a realist conception of truth, which he calls alethic realism (from aletheia, Greek for truth). This idea holds that the truth value of a statement (belief or proposition) depends on whether what the statement is about is as the statement says it is. Michael Dummett and Hilary Putnam are two of the prominent and widely influential contemporary philosophers whose anti-realist ideas Alston attacks.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801431876
Publisher:	Cornell University Press
Publication date:	01/18/1996
Series:	11/26/1997
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

The late William P. Alston was Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Syracuse University. His books include A Realist Conception of Truth, Illocutionary Acts and Sentence Meanings, The Reliability of Sense Perception, and Perceiving God: The Epistemology of Religious Experience, all from Cornell.

What People are Saying About This

Nicholas Wolterstorff

"Easily the most penetrating and comprehensive analysis and critique of anti-realist theories of truth available, along with a vigorous defense of the realist account. With the publication of William Alston's book, the common dismissal of the correspondence theory of truth as outmoded has itself become outmoded!"

Paul K. Moser

"The most conceptually discriminating treatment of alethic realism available and a major contribution to the philosophical investigation of truth. This book will save many philosophers from the multitude of confusions in current philosophical literature on truth."

Editorial Reviews

"Alston's book makes a distinguished contribution to thought about truth, both in its positive proposal and in its sustained criticism of epistemic conceptions.... His book is mandatory reading for anyone with even a slight interest in truth."

The Philosophical Review

"Much in this book deserves agreement and applause; it is argued with care, subtlety, and good sense."

The Journal of Philosophy

"From the standpoint of both general readers and professionals in the field this may be one of the best philosophical books to come along in some time.... The depth, the scope, and the clarity of Alston's analysis is matched only by that of the great philosophers with whom he contends. Highest recommendation for all collections."

Choice

"This excellent, ludidly written study contains many valuable insights."

Erkenntnis

"Easily the most penetrating and comprehensive analysis and critique of anti-realist theories of truth available, along with a vigorous defense of the realist account. With the publication of William Alston's book, the common dismissal of the correspondence theory of truth as outmoded has itself become outmoded!"

Nicholas Wolterstorff

"The most conceptually discriminating treatment of alethic realism available and a major contribution to the philosophical investigation of truth. This book will save many philosophers from the multitude of confusions in current philosophical literature on truth."

Paul K. Moser

"From the standpoint of both general readers and professionals in the field this may be one of the best philosophical books to come along in some time. . . . The depth, the scope, and the clarity of Alston's analysis is matched only by that of the great philosophers with whom he contends. Highest recommendation for all collections."—Choice

"Much in this book deserves agreement and applause; it is argued with care, subtlety, and good sense. "—The Journal of Philosophy

"Alston's book makes a distinguished contribution to thought about truth, both in its positive proposal and in its sustained criticism of epistemic conceptions. . . . His book is mandatory reading for anyone with even a slight interest in truth."—The Philosophical Review

"This excellent, ludidly written study contains many valuable insights."—Erkenntnis

"The most conceptually discriminating treatment of alethic realism available and a major contribution to the philosophical investigation of truth. This book will save many philosophers from the multitude of confusions in current philosophical literature on truth."—Paul K. Moser, Loyola University of Chicago"Easily the most penetrating and comprehensive analysis and critique of anti-realist theories of truth available, along with a vigorous defense of the realist account. With the publication of William Alston's book, the common dismissal of the correspondence theory of truth as outmoded has itself become outmoded!"—Nicholas Wolterstorff, Yale Divinity School

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