On Bullshit

Harry G. Frankfurt, geboren 1929, lehrte Philosophie u.a. in Cornell, Oxford und Yale. Seit 1990 ist er Professor für Philosophie an der Universität von Princeton. Er ist Träger zahlreicher Auszeichnungen und Mitglied der American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Winner of the 2005 Bestseller Award in Philosophy, The Book Standard "[Frankfurt] tries, with the help of Wittgenstein, Pound, St. Augustine and the spy novelist Eric Ambler, among others, to ask some of the preliminary questions--to define the nature of a thing recognized by all but understood by none... What is bullshit, after all? Mr. Frankfurt points out it is neither fish nor fowl. Those who produce it certainly aren't honest, but neither are they liars, given that the liar and the honest man are linked in their common, if not identical, regard for the truth."--Peter Edidin, New York Times "The scholar who answers the question, 'What is bullshit?' bids boldly to define the spirit of the present age... Frankfurt?s conclusion ... is that bullshit is defined not so much by the end product as by the process by which it is created. Eureka! Frankfurt?s definition is one of those not-at-all-obvious insights that become blindingly obvious the moment they are expressed."--Timothy Noah, Slate "Immediately, I must say: read it. Beautifully written, lucid, ironic and profound, it is a model of what philosophy can and should do. It is a small and highly provocative masterpiece, and I really don?t think I am bullshitting you here."--Bryan Appleyard, The Sunday Times (London) "This is what the world has long needed... Bullshit is now such a dominant feature of our culture that most of us are confident we can recognize and rebuff it. But Frankfurt shows the reader just how insidious (and destructive) it can be... This book will change your life."--Leopold Froehlich, Playboy "Frankfurt's book should be required reading for anyone whose speech or writing are intended for public consumption. Despite his subject, he is definitely not full of it."--Kevin Wood, The Daily Yomiuri "On Bullshit offers a tightly focused, telling critique of a political and cultural climate that seems positively humid with mendacity, obfuscation, evasion and illusion."--Steven Winn, San Francisco