Michael Lynch

Michael Lynch: Psychology Today

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In preparation for the launch of his new book On Truth in Politics: Why Democracy Demands It, Professor Michael Patrick Lynch has written two articles on Psychology Today addressing the state of political truth in modern democracy.

 

His first article, “Why Does Everything Seem Political?” defines and discusses political meaning:

Political meaning, in particular, emerges from the associations communities attach to things. Politics is an activity aimed at resolving collective problems among communities. It reflects the perceived contributions of actions, objects, or ideas to political debates. In this sense, political meaning is all about perception.

 

While his second article, “Has Meta’s Fact-Checking Exit Put Truth at Risk?” directly confronts media company Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp) newest decision that will end anti-disinformation programs across their sites:

In its recent announcement, Meta declared that it is ending its anti-disinformation program, stating a commitment to “more speech and fewer mistakes” (Meta, 2025). Given the size and global reach of their platforms, this is not just a blow against systematic and professional fact-checking online; it is a blow against the very idea of fact-checking—and that’s a problem for democracy.

 

You can pre-order his new book, On Truth in Politics: Why Democracy Demands It on Bookshop or Amazon.

Congratulations, Michael!

On Truth in Politics: Why Democracy Demands It

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Michael Patrick Lynch, Author

Princeton University Press, 2025

Do any of us really care about truth when it comes to politics? Should we? In a world of big lies, denialism, and conspiracy theories, democracies are experiencing two interlocked crises: a loss of confidence in democracy itself and the growing sense among many that politics is only about power—not truth. In this book, Michael Patrick Lynch argues that truth not only can—but must—matter in politics. He shows why truth is an essential democratic value—a value we need to sustain our democratic way of life—and how it can be strengthened.

Despite evidence that people are rarely motivated by truth when it comes to politics, On Truth in Politics argues that this isn’t inevitable. Accessibly written and rigorously argued, it draws on the American pragmatist tradition to develop an original theory of the nature and value of truth in the messy world of politics. Contrary to the belief of many, political beliefs can be true or false. But if democracy is to continue to be a space of reason and not just an arena of power, we must build a better infrastructure of knowledge, including stronger schools and media, and renew our commitment to science and history.

A vital and timely book, On Truth in Politics makes an original case for why democracy cannot survive without truth.

Book cover of Michael Lynch's book On Truth In Politics: Why Democracy demands it

Michael Lynch: Podcast Interviews

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Congratulations to Dr. Michael Lynch on his two recent podcast appearances!

The first interview is the episode “Communicating Truth,” hosted by the American Associated of Biological Sciences on their Bioscience Talks podcast, where Professor Lynch talks about truth and misinformation.

The second interview is hosted by The Chasing Leviathan Podcast, where Professor Lynch discusses his the metaphysics of truth and his 2001 book, The Nature of Truth.