Overview

Andreas Stokke presents a comprehensive study of lying and insincere language use. He investigates how lying relates to other forms of insincerity and explores the kinds of attitudes that go with insincere uses of language. Part I develops an account of insincerity as a linguistic phenomenon. Stokke provides a detailed theory of the distinction between lying and speaking insincerely, and accounts for the relationship between lying and deceiving. A novel framework of assertion underpins the analysis of various kinds of insincere speech, including false implicature and forms of misleading with presuppositions, prosodic focus, and semantic incompleteness. Part II sets out the relationship between what is communicated and the speaker's attitudes. Stokke develops the view of insincerity as a shallow phenomenon that is dependent on conscious attitudes rather than deeper motivations. The various of ways of speaking while being indifferent toward what one communicates are covered, and the phenomenon of 'bullshitting' is distinguished from lying and other forms of insincerity. Finally, an account of insincere uses of interrogative, imperative, and exclamative utterances is also given.

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9780198825968

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Stokke (Uppsala Univ., Sweden) offers a monumental contribution to the niche area of lying in the field of communication ethics. He comprehensively defines and classifies lying and deceit, including insincere language. He reveals a new theory that explores the relationship between lying and accompanying attitudes. ... The scale of this inquiry is staggering. Stokke produces results with complexity and finesse that seem to represent a lifetime's worth of investigation. ... This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the field of lying, deceit, and insincerity. Summing up: Essential * CHOICE * a brilliant and comprehensive study of the various ways in which language use allows us to be insincere: to express thoughts that we do not believe to be true . . . well-written and highly stimulating . . . accessible to novices, seeking a first systematic introduction to the topic of lying and deception, and of interest to more advanced readers specializing in the philosophy of language and the philosophy of mind. The book should also be recommended to theorists of communication, including intelligence officers and political thinkers, given the permanence and timeliness of its topic. On the notions of lying and bullshitting, it brings clarity and avoids sophistry, making its contribution informative, relevant, and trustworthy. * Paul Egre, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *

Stokke (Uppsala Univ., Sweden) offers a monumental contribution to the niche area of lying in the field of communication ethics. He comprehensively defines and classifies lying and deceit, including insincere language. He reveals a new theory that explores the relationship between lying and accompanying attitudes. ... The scale of this inquiry is staggering. Stokke produces results with complexity and finesse that seem to represent a lifetime's worth of investigation. ... This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the field of lying, deceit, and insincerity. Summing up: Essential * CHOICE *

Author Information

Andreas Stokke pursued his postgraduate studies in philosophy at the University of St Andrews, where he received an MLitt degree in 2006 and a Ph.D. in 2010. After completing his doctoral studies, he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Oslo and at the University of Lisbon. In 2013, he took up a position as University Lecturer at Umeå University. In 2016, he was awarded a Pro Futura Scientia Fellowship at the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study, nominated by the Department of Philosophy at Uppsala University, where he is now also a senior lecturer. Dr. Stokke's research is mainly in the fields of philosophy of language and epistemology, but he has also worked on ethics and philosophy of action.

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