Logical Fictions

Book excerpt: The media bombard us with claims that are often strange, unclear, and even upsetting. Quantum physicists claim that "vacuum nothingness" is not really nothing, because it teems with energy and virtual particles. Psychological research suggests that most of our neighbors suffer from some degree of mental disorder. Social scientists assure us that science itself is simply a cultural myth. Can anyone sort out fact from fiction in today's world? The answer, thankfully, is "Yes " But first, you must make a radical shift in your approach, because serious thinking about reality involves serious thinking about fiction, not only in your everyday mind, but also in the scholarly and technical realms. For anyone who has ever wondered-and you should wonder-whether there really are such things as government, society, the economy, or even marriage, the deeply philosophical and utterly practical Logical Fictions shows you how a solid grounding in logic and language can help you avoid getting trapped by the ideological fictions prevalent in today's sophisticated world. Consider yourself warned: humorous and filled with entertaining examples, this book will stretch your brain and provoke your thoughts. Your view of the world may never be the same.