Truth & Certainty

“What then is truth? A movable host of metaphors, metonymies, and anthropomorphisms: in short, a sum of human relations which have been poetically and rhetorically intensified, transferred, and embellished…” (Nietzsche)

Defining truth is a challenge that philosophers, if not all of us, have been confronted with. Truth seems to be something objective–true statements are assertions, or beliefs that accurately describe reality. But a true statement also must be consistent with our other beliefs and the general perspective we have of the world.

We are nowadays all confronted with a very uncertain future, and it seems that our primary reaction to it is discomfort. Where is this discomfort coming from and what does it say about our relationship with the future? Is uncertainty always a dreadful thing? Why do we seek certitude?

In this Olio, we will explore various definitions of truth and the challenges that come along with each of these notions. Let’s see if we might create a new agreement about the truth or even better, some new questions surrounding this elusive word.

Teacher: Jeanne Proust

Jeanne Proust’s research focuses on Théodule Ribot’s Diseases of the Will, both in philosophical and psychological perspectives. While teaching at different universities here in New York, Jeanne is advocating for a widening of philosophical education beyond the academic frontiers.

Pay what you can $10/$15/$20











When: Thu., Jul. 16, 2020 at 8:00 pm

“What then is truth? A movable host of metaphors, metonymies, and anthropomorphisms: in short, a sum of human relations which have been poetically and rhetorically intensified, transferred, and embellished…” (Nietzsche)

Defining truth is a challenge that philosophers, if not all of us, have been confronted with. Truth seems to be something objective–true statements are assertions, or beliefs that accurately describe reality. But a true statement also must be consistent with our other beliefs and the general perspective we have of the world.

We are nowadays all confronted with a very uncertain future, and it seems that our primary reaction to it is discomfort. Where is this discomfort coming from and what does it say about our relationship with the future? Is uncertainty always a dreadful thing? Why do we seek certitude?

In this Olio, we will explore various definitions of truth and the challenges that come along with each of these notions. Let’s see if we might create a new agreement about the truth or even better, some new questions surrounding this elusive word.

Teacher: Jeanne Proust

Jeanne Proust’s research focuses on Théodule Ribot’s Diseases of the Will, both in philosophical and psychological perspectives. While teaching at different universities here in New York, Jeanne is advocating for a widening of philosophical education beyond the academic frontiers.

Pay what you can $10/$15/$20

Buy tickets/get more info now