False Truths: The Error of Relying on Authority

Edward C. Mendler

doi:10.5771/9780761863007

Summary

In False Truths, Edward C. Mendler contends that many of the beliefs, tenets, conclusions, and understandings that are widely accepted as “truths” are, in fact, not valid at all. Such dubious and false concepts arise not only in philosophy and theology but also under the rubrics of cosmology, quantum physics, democracy, freedom, economics, and various aspects of “human nature” and evolution. We accept and absorb these false ideas because they were and are propounded by “authorities,” both ancient and modern. Mendler asserts that we should challenge them all — from Plato on to contemporary theorists in all of those fields — and question and analyze every element of their conclusions.

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Bibliographic data

Edition: 1/2014
Copyright Year: 2014
ISBN-Print: 978-0-7618-6299-4
ISBN-Online: 978-0-7618-6300-7
Publisher: Hamilton Books, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 163
Product Type: Monograph

1. Contents No access
2. List of Illustrations No access
3. Preface No access
1. Origins No access
2. Consequences No access
3. Notes No access
1. How the Ancient Greeks Misled Us No access
2. The Middle Ages Muddle No access
3. We Are Not Enlightened No access
4. Notes No access
1. Old and New No access
2. Jacques Maritain No access
3. Pope John Paul II No access
4. John Polkinghorne No access
5. Notes No access
1. Causation No access
2. Epistemology No access
3. Notes No access
1. Faith No access
2. Antifaith — Fair and Foul No access
3. Notes No access
1. Cosmology No access
2. Waves, Particles, Quanta No access
3. Notes No access
1. The Basics of Evolution No access
2. The Burgess Shale No access
3. Consciousness No access
4. Humans and Animals No access
5. The Origin of Life No access
6. Notes No access
1. The Awesome Brain No access
2. Free Will and Foolishness No access
3. Neuroscience — New Understandings No access
4. Notes No access
1. Equality No access
2. Democracy No access
3. Freedom No access
4. Notes No access
1. The Basics of Economics No access
2. Enterprise and Planning No access
3. Welfare and Gridlock No access
4. Notes No access
11 Conclusions No access Pages 155 - 160
Index No access Pages 161 - 163