PHILO304

This paper offers a global perspective on what truth is and why truth matters by examining ideas that come from Chinese, Indian, African, Mesoamerican, and western philosophical traditions. Some space will be afforded to empirical studies in order to reveal how popular beliefs may shape our understanding of truth. The paper also explores why we value truth in democratic societies, whether the pursuit of truth can survive ‘post-truth’ politics, and how lies, misinformation, and bullshit harm the pursuit of truth.