Bullshit
Bullshit is assertion made with indifference to truth (Harry Frankfurt, On Bullshit, 2005).
Why distinguish bullshit from lying?
A liar at least tracks the truth in order to misrepresent it; the bullshitter doesn’t care either way.
- A liar knows what’s true and says the opposite
- A bullshitter doesn’t care what’s true; they say whatever serves their goal (impressing, persuading, deflecting)
More corrosive than lying
Lies can be refuted; bullshit just floods the channel.
Connection to critical thinking
- Violates the Norms of Assertion: the bullshitter has no obligation to back up claims with evidence
- Spreading bullshit damages Epistemic Community trust
- A critical thinker should be ready to identify and call out bullshit, not just lies