A 2005 bestseller that analyzed the distinction between lying and deception originated as a conceptual paper written nearly two decades earlier. Harry Frankfurt, an academic whose career spanned several major American universities, challenged traditional philosophical boundaries by investigating the mechanics of truth, free will, and the psychological architecture of caring within the human experience.
Academic Trajectory
Born in Langhorne in 1929, Frankfurt was raised in Brooklyn and Baltimore following his adoption. He pursued his higher education at Johns Hopkins University, completing his Bachelor of Arts in 1949 and his doctorate in 1954. His teaching career began at Ohio State University, followed by roles at SUNY Binghamton, Rockefeller University, Yale University, and finally Princeton University, where he served as a professor emeritus. Beyond his domestic appointments, he held a visiting fellowship at All Souls College, Oxford, and presided over the Eastern Division of the American Philosophical Association.
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Frankfurt attained widespread public recognition through his book On Bullshit. He posited that while a liar must possess a foundational understanding of the truth to subvert it, a bullshitter operates with a complete disregard for accuracy. This work, which investigated the societal degradation of truth, was expanded in his subsequent publication, On Truth. His accessible analysis of these concepts even led to an appearance on The Daily Show, bringing his philosophical inquiry into the mainstream media sphere.
Ethics and Free Will
Within the field of ethics, Frankfurt challenged the principle that moral responsibility necessitates the capacity to act differently. Through his Frankfurt cases, he developed thought experiments demonstrating that moral accountability might exist even when an agent lacks alternative choices. His compatibilist perspective suggested that true freedom involves aligning one's actions with reflective desires. These contributions to action theory and moral philosophy remain central to academic discourse on autonomy.
The Importance of Caring
Frankfurt argued that caring for an object or concept is an essential component of personhood, reflecting an individual's character. He distinguished between persons—who possess second-order volitions and care about their specific desires—and wantons, who act on desires without regard for their origins. His 2004 book, The Reasons of Love, further explored this framework, suggesting that the act of caring imbues an object with importance, thereby influencing an individual's well-being and life trajectory.
Fast facts
- Born: 1929, Langhorne
- Died: 2023, Santa Monica
- Education: Johns Hopkins University
- Key Academic Tenures: Princeton, Yale, The Rockefeller University
- Notable Book: On Bullshit
- Fields of Interest: Philosophy of mind, action theory, free will
- Awards: Guggenheim Fellowship
- Professional Membership: American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Questions readers ask
What is the difference between lying and bullshitting according to Frankfurt?
Frankfurt argues that a liar must know the truth in order to distort it, whereas a bullshitter has no regard for the truth at all.
What are Frankfurt cases?
They are thought experiments designed to show that an agent can be held morally responsible for an action even if they could not have done otherwise.
Achievements
- Notable work: On Bullshit
- Held posts at Princeton University, Yale University and The Rockefeller University
- Fields: philosophy of mind, free will and action theory
