A Renaissance of Wonder

In lecture five, we study how mind and language connect to reality, asking whether human beings have direct access to truth or are trapped within conceptual frameworks that distort the world. Through Iris Murdoch’s work, we explore the concern that language and thought act as “nets” that filter and potentially falsify reality, casting doubt on objective knowledge. The lecture then turns to postmodernism, particularly Jean-François Lyotard’s rejection of grand narratives and universal truth in favor of multiple local forms of knowledge. We consider how these metaphysical questions connect to moral imperatives—ultimately arguing that the pursuit of truth is itself an ethical commitment.