Short Essay (750 words) 30%. Learning Outcomes 1 & 3
Essay (2250 words) 70%. Learning Outcomes 1 & 2

This module aims to get behind the vague relativism implicit in the common expression 'It's all down to opinion' and expose the philosophical issues lurking beneath. It will begin with a review of some of the main theories of truth (e.g. the correspondence theory, the coherence theory, and the pragmatist theory), which will then provide the basis for a critique of the claims of relativism. This will be followed by a reflection on the role of interpretation and the value of a hermeneutic approach to the question of truth, leading on to a consideration of the question of truth in literature and image (both fine art and contemporary visual media).

Teaching and learning will be delivered in a weekly workshop, involving tutor-led introductions, small group work and discussion of pre-arranged topics.

M Baghramian, Relativism (Routledge, London, 2004)
S Blackburn, Truth: A Guide for the Perplexed (Allen Lane, London, 2005).
S Blackburn & K Simmons (eds), Truth (Oxford readings in Philosophy) (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1999)
H-G Gadamer, Truth and Method (Continuum, London, 2004)
R Kirkham, Theories of Truth: A Critical Introduction (MIT Press, Cambridge Mass., 1992).
M P Lynch, True to Life: Why Truth Matters (Bradford Books, 2004).
W V O Quine, The Ways of Paradox and Other Essays (Harvard University Press, 1976)
R Rorty, Objectivity, Relativism and Truth (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1990)
G Vattimo, Beyond Interpretation (Polity Press, Cambridge, 1997)

Library, IT facilities, and space for individual and group study.