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On Bullshit

By Harry G. Frankfurt

(59)

| Hardcover | 9780691122946

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Book Description

Book Description:

One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted. Most people are rather confident of their ability to recognize bullshit and to avoid being Continue

Book Description:

One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted. Most people are rather confident of their ability to recognize bullshit and to avoid being taken in by it. So the phenomenon has not aroused much deliberate concern. We have no clear understanding of what bullshit is, why there is so much of it, or what functions it serves. And we lack a conscientiously developed appreciation of what it means to us. In other words, as Harry Frankfurt writes, "we have no theory."

Frankfurt, one of the world's most influential moral philosophers, attempts to build such a theory here. With his characteristic combination of philosophical acuity, psychological insight, and wry humor, Frankfurt proceeds by exploring how bullshit and the related concept of humbug are distinct from lying. He argues that bullshitters misrepresent themselves to their audience not as liars do, that is, by deliberately making false claims about what is true. In fact, bullshit need not be untrue at all.

Rather, bullshitters seek to convey a certain impression of themselves without being concerned about whether anything at all is true. They quietly change the rules governing their end of the conversation so that claims about truth and falsity are irrelevant. Frankfurt concludes that although bullshit can take many innocent forms, excessive indulgence in it can eventually undermine the practitioner's capacity to tell the truth in a way that lying does not. Liars at least acknowledge that it matters what is true. By virtue of this, Frankfurt writes, bullshit is a greater enemy of the truth than lies are.

5 Reviews

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  • 2 people find this helpful

    Good read!

    To put it succinctly, this book is basically some very well-written bullshit on the subject of bullshit.

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    CT208 said on Jun 13, 2009 | Add your feedback

  • 2 people find this helpful

    How can one get so philophical about bullshit? Bullshit is more than you think what it is, and the author gives you a lyrical account of it. It'll make you think about life and why there is so much bullshit in this world. I wish the author will write more books on similar topics in this format. It's ... (continue)

    How can one get so philophical about bullshit? Bullshit is more than you think what it is, and the author gives you a lyrical account of it. It'll make you think about life and why there is so much bullshit in this world. I wish the author will write more books on similar topics in this format. It's a short read, and you'll never forget it.

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    Saxyscuba said on Aug 12, 2007 | Add your feedback

  • 2 people find this helpful

    only ok in the first few pages, but nothing in the rest, even this is a very small book smaller than a pocket size with 65 pages only but i did consider not to continue when i have completed the first 20 pages sth. maybe it's the same as what's the 'title'.

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    Jackie said on Jun 15, 2007 | Add your feedback

  • 1 person find this helpful

    Smaller than I thought. A pleasant read indeed.
    I am no liar, and I do not bullshit.
    That makes me socially handicapped. Darn!

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    hsiaohui said on Jun 2, 2007 | Add your feedback

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9780691122946 Hardcover $9.95 $7.96 bn.com
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