What is the post-truth? Elements for a critique of the concept

Abstract

This paper provides a brief critical examination of the term “post-truth” to determine to what extent it may or may not be considered useful for comprehending the notion of public opinion in contemporaneity. We are extremely interested in this reflection due to the heightened use of this term over the last years, especially in reference to the propagation of fake news. To accomplish this, we set out to divide our work into two key parts: the first part questions whether “post-truth” is an accurate term for that which it describes; the second question, pertaining specifically to the massive increase in communications technologies and social networks, poses a challenge: Is there any particular present-day phenomenon that is reshaping the idea of truth?.