Seminars
Participants are taught in small seminar groups of up to 12 students, and receive two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor.
Sunday
Seminar 1: Introduction to truth and truthfulness
Seminar 2: The correspondence theory of truth and truth as mirroring the world
Monday
Seminar 3: The coherence theory of truth and truth as grounded in the coherence of a system of beliefs
Seminar 4: How pragmatism understands truth as a limit notion we steadily approach but (probably) never reach
Tuesday
Seminar 5: The idea that there are only subjective truths, and the virtues and vices of truth relativism
Seminar 6: Truth as a pluralistic notion and a property that adapts according to the field of discourse
Wednesday
Seminar 7: Deflating the concept of truth. Have we been chasing a ghost?
Seminar 8: Exploring the difference between realism and anti-realism and how these philosophical positions affect how we think about truth
Thursday
Seminar 9: What is post-truth as a phenomenon, and how did it come about?
Seminar 10: Information technologies, truth manipulation and how to protect ourselves from algorithms
Friday
Seminar 11: Science denialism and conspiracy theories
Seminar 12: Can truth be salvaged in the disinformation age?
Daily timetable
The daily timetable will normally be as follows:
Saturday
14.00–16.30 - Registration
16.30–17.00 - Orientation meeting
17.00–17.30 - Classroom orientation for tutor and students
17.30–18.00 - Drinks reception
18.00–20.00 - Welcome dinner
Sunday – Friday
09.00–10.30 - Seminar
10.30–11.00 - Tea/coffee break
11.00–12.30 - Seminar
12.30–13.30 - Lunch
13.30–18.00 - Afternoons are free for tutorials, individual study, course-related field trips or exploring the many places of interest in and around Oxford.
18.00–19.00 - Dinner (There is a formal gala dinner every Friday to close each week of the programme)
Saturday
10.30 - Latest to have checked out of accommodation
A range of optional social events will be offered throughout the summer school. These are likely to include: a quiz night, visit to historic pubs in Oxford, visit to Christ Church for Evensong and after-dinner talks and discussions.