INTERPRETAZIONE, REALTÀ E IL REALISMO CRITICO DI SANTAYANA

Salvatore Antonio Luchena

This paper examines the philosophical roots and contemporary implications of postmodern thought, particularly its challenge to objective truth, rationality, and epistemic certainty. Tracing its origins from Nietzsche’s perspectivism to Heidegger’s ontological critique, and later to postmodern theorists such as Lyotard, Foucault, and Derrida, the study demonstrates how the dissolution of objective reality has contributed to the spread of misinformation, including fake news and deepfake technologies. The rejection of absolute truth in favor of subjective interpretation has fostered an environment where fabricated narratives can gain credibility, blurring the distinction between reality and fiction. This epistemological shift has significant social and political consequences, as it has fueled the rise of conspiracy theories and populist movements that capitalize on the absence of shared factual standards. In response to this crisis, the paper argues for the necessity of a renewed critical realism, drawing upon George Santayana’s Scepticism and Animal Faith. Santayana’s concept of animal faith provides a pragmatic foundation for knowledge that acknowledges the role of interpretation while affirming an external reality independent of human perception. By reinstating a framework for distinguishing between truth and falsehood, this perspective offers a viable countermeasure against the postmodern erosion of epistemic authority, reinforcing the importance of objectivity in both scientific inquiry and public discourse.