Likeness to Truth (The Western Ontario Series in Philosophy

In this review of Likeness to Truth, G. Oddie presents a focused, rigorous philosophical examination of the concept of truthlikeness and its role in realist inquiry. The book is best for graduate students, professional philosophers, and anyone studying philosophy of science who wants a clear, technical account of why a false theory can be closer to the truth than another. The single biggest reason to read it is its careful argument that combining modest realist aims yields the nontrivial conclusion that truthlikeness matters for assessing theoretical progress.

Key Features

• Rigorous analysis: The book provides a formal, philosophical treatment of the concept of likeness to truth that clarifies ambiguous intuitions and exposes underlying assumptions.
• Realist focus: It frames the discussion around the truth doctrine and the progress doctrine, showing how realist commitments shape how we evaluate theories.
• Conceptual clarity: Oddie isolates two modest realist aims and uses them to derive the conclusion that false theories can be more truthlike, offering precise conceptual consequences.
• Consequential implications: The work examines surprising consequences for the true/false dichotomy, encouraging readers to rethink standard binary evaluations of theories.
• Philosophy of science context: As part of The Western Ontario Series in Philosophy of Science, the book situates its analysis within contemporary debates on scientific progress and realism.

Who It's For

This book is primarily aimed at advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and professional philosophers working in philosophy of science, epistemology, or logic who need a concentrated, analytic account of truthlikeness as a theoretical virtue. It is particularly useful for readers interested in formal and conceptual frameworks for evaluating scientific theories.

Readers seeking a broad historical overview, an introductory textbook, or a popular treatment of scientific realism should look elsewhere; the text assumes familiarity with philosophical argumentation and the issues surrounding truth and theoretical progress.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Careful, explicit argumentation that makes the concept of truthlikeness philosophically precise.
• Connects modest realist assumptions to substantive conclusions about theoretical comparison and scientific progress.
• Concise focus that avoids unnecessary digressions, making it efficient for specialists.

Cons

• Not intended as an introductory or popular treatment, so it may be dense for general readers.

Specifications

Title	Likeness to Truth (The Western Ontario Series in Philosophy of Science)
Author	G. Oddie
Subject	Philosophy of science; truthlikeness and realism
Focus	Rigorous analysis of likeness to truth and consequences for inquiry
Approach	Conceptual and formal philosophical argument
Series	The Western Ontario Series in Philosophy of Science

Our Verdict

For readers committed to a serious study of scientific realism, Likeness to Truth is a compact, high-value contribution that sharpens the concept of truthlikeness and shows why it matters for judging theoretical progress. It is especially valuable for specialists who want a focused, argumentative treatment rather than broad survey material.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book suitable for beginners?
This book is not a beginner textbook; it assumes familiarity with debates in philosophy of science and analytical argumentation.

Does the book argue that false theories can be better than true ones?
It argues that a false theory may be more truthlike, or closer to the truth, than another false theory, under modest realist assumptions.

What is the main value of the book?
The main value is its rigorous conceptual clarification of truthlikeness and the implications for assessing theoretical progress.