Post-Truth：Knowledge As A Power Game

'Post-Truth'wasOxfordDictionary's2016wordoftheyear.Whilethetermwascoinedbyitsdisparagers,especiallyinlightoftheBrexitandUSPresidentialcampaigns,therootsofpost-truthliedeepinthehistoryofWesternsocialandpoliticaltheory.ThisbookreachesbacktoPlato,rangesacrosstheologyandphilosophy,andfocusesontheMachiavelliantraditioninclassicalsociology.ThekeyfigurehereisVilfredoPareto,whoofferedtheoriginalmodernaccountofpost-truthintermsofthe'circulationofelites',whereby'lions'and'foxes'vieforpowerbyaccusingeachotherofillegitimacy,basedonallegationsofspeakingfalselyeitheraboutwhattheyhavedone(lions)orwhattheywilldo(foxes).Thedefiningfeatureof'post-truth'isastrongdistinctionbetweenappearanceandrealitywhichisneverquiteresolved,whichmeansthatthestrongestappearanceendsuppassingforreality.Theonlyquestioniswhethermoreisgainedbyrapidchangesinappearance(foxes)orbystabilizingonesuchappearance(lions).Thisbookplaysoutwhatallthismeansforbothpoliticsandscience.