Living in a Post-Truth World is not merely the title of this deeply engaging book, it is indeed the challenging reality of our times! Unfortunately, and alarmingly, we are presently living in an age where facts are forced aside and “narratives” are allowed to influence our opinions, judgments and decisions. This timely collection of articles explores many of the realities that now dominate our world: the perilous relationship between politics and post-truth, the phenomenal spread of fake news and misinformation, the use of artificial intelligence in creating deep fakes, and the propagation of false facts by deniers of climate science to mislead the general public. Importantly, this book also discusses approaches that could help us address the current post truth situation. The authors of this volume have done us a highly valuable service in offering us an in-depth understanding of our post-truth world, and the ways in which we can confront those who fabricate truth in favour of vested interests.

Fr Savio Silveira, SDB
Provincial, Mumbai Province

Living in a Post-Truth World is a timely reflection by the professors and associates of Divyadaan: Salesian Institute of Philosophy, Nashik. Besides helping readers identify the symptoms of post-truth, the volume also unearths the philosophical roots of the phenomenon and indicates the conditions that make us vulnerable to it. Searching for an appropriate response to the malaise, the volume draws upon John Henry Newman and Bernard Lonergan, Christian philosophers who can provide sound foundations to the undoubtedly fragile human search for truth.

Fr Ivo Coelho, SDB
General Councillor for Formation

Contents 

Introduction

     Navigating the Uncertain Waters of Post-Truth
     Banzelão Julio Teixeira

1. Post-Truth Politics: An International Farce
    Ian Pinto

2. Post-Truth and the Rise of Fake News Through Social Media
    Robert Pen

3. Deepfakes, Dark Reality and Disinformation: Looking at the Growth of Artificial Intelligence in the Post-truth Dystopia
    John Kennedy Philip

4. Post-Truth and Climate Science Denial
    Brian Raymond Bandya

5. The Corona Virus Infodemic
    Leon Rodrigues

6. How Did We Come to This Impasse?: The Philosophical Roots of the Post-Truth Phenomenon
    Joaquim D’Souza

7. Exploring the Link Between Cognitive Bias and Post-Truth
    Banzelão Julio Teixeira

8. Significance of Newman’s Grammar to Alethic Relativism and Post-Truth Era
    Albert Kumar Savarimuthu

9. Postmodern Suspicion and Lonergan’s Conversions
    Mark T. Miller

10. Responding to the Post-Truth Situation
      Joel D’Souza

Contributors

Banzelão Teixeira is a Salesian belonging to the Panjim province (INP). As a young priest he was engaged in catechetical ministry and youth animation programs, and came out with timely publications (along with Teresa Joseph FMA): Stay Connected in the Circle of Love: An Animation Book for the Family (2007); Teen Q’s: On Love and Relationships (2009); Teens, Your Key to Success (2010); Building Relationships: Unusual Questions Teens Ask (2013); and Two Popes Who Knew How to Pope: St John XXIII & St John Paul II. After completing his doctorate in philosophy from the Salesian Pontifical University (2016), he has served as the Director of Divyadaan: Salesian Institute of Philosophy, Nashik, where he holds the chair of Semiotics. He is also the editor of Divyadaan: Journal of Philosophy and Education. Besides publishing articles in philosophical journals he has also authored a book in Semiotics titled 21st Century Realism: John Deely’s Recovery of Poinsot’s Doctrine of Signs (2018). Recently he has edited a volume titled “Building Bridges of Fraternity & Friendship: Reflections on Fratelli Tutti” (2022).