On Bullshit

图书标准信息

• 作者 Harry G. Frankfurt 著
• 出版社 Princeton University Press
• 出版时间 2005-01
• 版次 1
• ISBN 9780691122946
• 定价 152.50元
• 装帧 精装
• 开本 其他
• 纸张 其他
• 页数 80页
• 正文语种 英语

【内容简介】

Oneofthemostsalientfeaturesofourcultureisthatthereissomuchbullshit.Everyoneknowsthis.Eachofuscontributeshisshare.Butwetendtotakethesituationforgranted.Mostpeopleareratherconfidentoftheirabilitytorecognizebullshitandtoavoidbeingtakeninbyit.Sothephenomenonhasnotarousedmuchdeliberateconcern.Wehavenoclearunderstandingofwhatbullshitis,whythereissomuchofit,orwhatfunctionsitserves.Andwelackaconscientiouslydevelopedappreciationofwhatitmeanstous.Inotherwords,asHarryFrankfurtwrites,"wehavenotheory."

Frankfurt,oneoftheworld'smostinfluentialmoralphilosophers,attemptstobuildsuchatheoryhere.Withhischaracteristiccombinationofphilosophicalacuity,psychologicalinsight,andwryhumor,Frankfurtproceedsbyexploringhowbullshitandtherelatedconceptofhumbugaredistinctfromlying.Hearguesthatbullshittersmisrepresentthemselvestotheiraudiencenotasliarsdo,thatis,bydeliberatelymakingfalseclaimsaboutwhatistrue.Infact,bullshitneednotbeuntrueatall.

Rather,bullshittersseektoconveyacertainimpressionofthemselveswithoutbeingconcernedaboutwhetheranythingatallistrue.Theyquietlychangetherulesgoverningtheirendoftheconversationsothatclaimsabouttruthandfalsityareirrelevant.Frankfurtconcludesthatalthoughbullshitcantakemanyinnocentforms,excessiveindulgenceinitcaneventuallyunderminethepractitioner'scapacitytotellthetruthinawaythatlyingdoesnot.Liarsatleastacknowledgethatitmatterswhatistrue.Byvirtueofthis,Frankfurtwrites,bullshitisagreaterenemyofthetruththanliesare.