True to Life

By Michael P. Lynch,

Book cover of True to Life: Why Truth Matters

Book description

Why truth is important in our everyday lives.

Why does truth matter when politicians so easily sidestep it and intellectuals scorn it as irrelevant? Why be concerned over an abstract idea like truth when something that isn't true—for example, a report of Iraq's attempting to buy materials for nuclear weapons—gets…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked True to Life as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I recommend this book because the author, a professor of philosophy, presents a remarkably compelling, highly readable defense of the value of truth without descending into dogmatism. I was most impressed by the systematic, jargon-free way that Lynch addresses common arguments that are used to undermine the pursuit of truth, including extreme cynicism and extreme relativism.

One of my favorite statements is, “Absolute certainty is impractical and probably impossible. But as I’ve argued, this doesn’t have anything to do with the truth. We can acknowledge the frailty of the human condition and still go on pursuing truth.”

Unlike a lot…

If you love True to Life...

Ad

Book cover of Tap Dancing on Everest: A Young Doctor's Unlikely Adventure

Tap Dancing on Everest by Mimi Zieman,

Tap Dancing on Everest, part coming-of-age memoir, part true-survival adventure story, is about a young medical student, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor raised in N.Y.C., who battles self-doubt to serve as the doctor—and only woman—on a remote Everest climb in Tibet.

The team attempts a new route up…

Want books like True to Life?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like True to Life.

Browse books like True to Life

Book cover of The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics
Book cover of On Bullshit
Book cover of The Gutenberg Galaxy: The Making of Topographic Man

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,907

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

📚 If you like True to Life, you might also like...

Book cover of I Am Taurus

I Am Taurus by Stephen Palmer,

The constellation we know as Taurus goes all the way back to cave paintings of aurochs at Lascaux. This book traces the story of the bull in the sky, a journey through the history of what has become known as the sacred bull.

Each of the sections is written from…

Book cover of The Tao of Inner Peace

The Tao of Inner Peace by Diane Dreher,

With its lively, demystifying approach, The Tao of Inner Peace shows how the Tao can be a powerful and calming source of growth, inspiration, and well-being in times of conflict and anxiety.

This timely guide to the timeless wisdom of the Tao Te Ching shows how to: bring greater joy,…

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Iraq, truth, and philosophy?

Iraq 99 books
Truth 20 books
Philosophy 1,813 books