PHL 305 - Theories of Truth

3 credits
Prerequisites: Semester course in Philosophy, or permission of instructor
A study of attempts to provide an adequate philosophical analysis of our pre-theoretical institutions about truth. Despite the centrality of truth throughout the history of philosophy, and its apparent role as a goal of inquiry in other disciplines, a debate continues regarding the nature of truth. The four major types of truth theories - correspondence, coherence, pragmatic, and minimalist - will be examined, as well as theories that are not subsumable under the previous headings. The contemporary debate is studied in relation to its historical predecessors. A central theme of the course is whether or not we need a robust account of truth instead of a minimalist account.