DPT OF PHILOSOPHY, LINGUISTICS
AND THEORY OF SCIENCE
Course Description
Research Oriented Specialization, 7.5 hp (FT1300/FT2100/FT2200/FT2300)
(Items/options marked in red are only required of students on the advanced levels
FT2100/FT2200/FT2300)
Truthmaker theory
Truthmaker theory investigates the relationship between what is true and what exists. The
philosophical intuition shared by truthmaker theorists is that truth depends, in some sense, on
what there is, but not vice versa. Thus for example, consider the proposition the sun is
shining. We can all agree that if the proposition is true, then the sun is in fact shining. And,
conversely, if the sun is shining, then the proposition is in fact true. But this does not settle the
question whether the proposition is true because of what exists in the world (e.g. the state of
affairs, the sun’s shining), or whether the world is the way it is because the proposition is true.
Truthmaker theorists make the former claim while rejecting the latter, i.e. they claim that truth
depends on being, whereas being does not (in general) depend on truth. This, quite
platitudinous idea, is then used as a starting point for exploring the nature of truth and its
relationship to ontology, and to advance various metaphysical views on the nature of time,
counterfactual conditionals, modality, numbers, laws of nature, and many others.
Teacher: Robin Stenwall ([email protected])
Recommended: Although not formally a requirement, some previous knowledge of/studies in
(analytic) metaphysics is recommended.
Examination: To pass this course, the student must do two things (in red: required to pass the
course on the advanced level, not FT1300):
(1) First, submit a short course-paper (1500-2000 or 3000 words) written in either English
or Swedish, in which the following should be included (to be e-mailed to the courseexaminer):
Department of Philosophy Linguistics and Theory of Science
Olof Wijksgatan 6, Box 200, 405 30 Gothenburg
+46-31-786 00 00
www.flov.gu.se
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(i)
(ii)
(iii)
An introduction where the idea behind truthmaker theory is spelled
out and explicated.
A critical discussion – clearly based in the course literature – of the
justification behind truthmaker theory.
A critical discussion – clearly based in the course literature – of how
one might go about providing truthmakers for negative truths. Present
the different solutions and your own preferred view (provide
justifications for your claim).
The course paper is given the grade pass (G) or fail (ej G).
(2) Second, once the course paper has been given the grade pass (G), the examiner
contacts the student to schedule a one-hour meeting. The student then prepares a 20
(30) minute lecture, to be given at the meeting. The lecture should be focused on one
(or a few) specific theme(s)/argument(s)/problem(s) found in the course literature. The
approach should be clearly problem-oriented. The topic for the lecture is decided by
the student. The student should be prepared to be interrupted and to be asked all sorts
of questions, including questions about things not touched upon in his or her lecture.
The use of e.g., power-point is encouraged.
The lecture is either given he grade pass with distinction (VG), pass (G), or fail (ej G).
The overall grade for the course is pass (G) if the student receives that grade on both tasks,
and pass with distinction (VG), if the student receives the grade pass on task (1) and the
grade pass with distinction on task (2).
Course Literature
Below you find the literature for this course. Some texts can be found online (in some cases
you may need to be logged on to the GU-network). Armstrong’s book is to be read from start
to finish. The text marked in red is required reading for students on the advanced level only.
Armstrong, D.M. (2004). Truth and Truthmakers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
(the university library has one copy of the book; or you can buy it (new or used) from, among
other places Bokus (here)).
Beebee, H. & Dodd, J., “Introduction”. Published in Beebee & Dodd (2005), Truthmakers:
The Contemporary Debate, Oxford: Oxford University Press: 1-16 (available as e-book, in the
university library database (here)).
Molnar, G. (2000). “Truthmakers for Negative Truths”, Australasian Journal of Philosophy
78: 72-86.
Rodriguez-Pereyra, G., “Why Truthmakers”. Published in Beebee & Dodd (2005)
Truthmakers: The Contemporary Debate, Oxford: Oxford University Press: 17-31 (available
as e-book, in the university library database (here)).
Stenwall, R. (2017) “Causal Grounds for Negative Truths”, to appear in Philosophical Studies.
The text can be found here: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11098-016-0841-x
Department of Philosophy Linguistics and Theory of Science
Olof Wijksgatan 6, Box 200, 405 30 Gothenburg
+46-31-786 00 00
www.flov.gu.se
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***
Name:
has finished his or her Research Oriented Specialization (7,5 hp) [on one of levels
FT1300/FT2100/FT2200/FT2300 – INDICATE WHICH ONE] by finishing the above
described course Truthmaker Theory.
Grade:
Gothenburg [enter date for when this document is signed]
[signature]
Robin Stenwall
[email protected]
Examiner
More information [when applicable]: [here such things as title (and content?/abstract?) of
course paper could be added]
Department of Philosophy Linguistics and Theory of Science
Olof Wijksgatan 6, Box 200, 405 30 Gothenburg
+46-31-786 00 00
www.flov.gu.se
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