Facts Are Earned

Philosophics — Philosophical and Political Ramblings · Jan 3, 2026 · 35m

This essay by Bry Willis critiques the common assumption that facts represent a direct, unmediated window into reality following the decline of metaphysical Truth. Building on the philosophy of Bernard Williams, the author argues that facts are actually stabilised achievements produced through specific practices like measurement, classification, and institutional agreement. Using an analogy from classical physics, Willis demonstrates that objectivity does not require immediate contact with the world but emerges from convergence across different mediated encounters. The text warns that…