Cult G: Untruth
James McFarland (Vanderbilt University)
In this seminar we will consider six modes of untruth. Starting with ancient Greek sophism, we will proceed to reflect upon late antique heresy, medieval disloyalty, baroque disguise, Enlightenment deceit, positivist falsehood, and contemporary disinformation. We will consider Plato, St. Iraneaus, The Nibelungenlied, Kant, Nietzsche, Frege, and contemporary social media to see how different ways of being untrue have appeared historically, and what is at stake in each of them.