The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast Ep. 350: Rorty on Justification and Essentialism (Part Two)
Sep 23, 2024
Richard Rorty, a key figure in pragmatism and anti-authoritarianism, shares provocative ideas on truth and democracy. He argues against the necessity of a theory of truth, claiming it can undermine democratic values. The conversation dives into truth's cultural variability and how language shapes our beliefs and political discourse. Rorty critiques philosophies that support totalitarianism, emphasizing inclusive understanding in political debates. He encourages a cultivated sense of wonder, underscoring its role in personal transformation and societal progress.
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Truth As Contextual Justification
- Rorty reframes the universal desire for truth as a universal desire for justification tied to audiences and contexts.
- 'True' functions as a cautionary label signaling current justification subject to future revision.
Ditching Correspondence For Coherence
- Rorty wants to divorce 'true' from correspondence and ground it in coherence and social justification.
- Saying something is true means it's justified given current communal knowledge and fallibility.
Skepticism vs. Rorty's Middle Path
- Critics argue Rorty's move risks collapsing into skepticism about mind-independent facts.
- Rorty resists skepticism but his explanation of what's gained remains contested by hosts.