Why Truth Matters

Postmodern intellectuals often suggest that truth is based on a subjective interpretation of reality because truth is determined by the framework (discourse, ideology, paradigm, theory,.) that one uses. That would imply that by framing reality in a specific way, a dominant class determines how the truth will be perceived. In this contribution we show that, in the context of a shared commitment, a framework cannot easily be manipulated and that being truthful is unmistakably important. In their reasoning about truth, philosophers often take an objectifying attitude which means that they make an abstraction of what is at stake in the context of a joint commitment. This results in a misinterpretation of the relevance of truth. What people agree on forms the basis of what they establish, think, hope, plan, and do as a group. Without sufficient common ground, it is impossible to establish in a society a joint commitment to respect what is in the public interest such as the rule of law, democracy, and human rights. This is why truth really matters.