Definition: Relativism

 

'Relativism' is a philosophical theory asserting that there is no absolute truth, only truth relative to the individual, or to a particular time or culture, or both. To put it another way, relativism may be defined as the radical denial of objectivity.

There are two major relativistic tributaries: epistemological (pertaining to knowlege) and ethical (pertaining to morality and values).

Epistemological relativism can be

 

 

 

traced to the Greek Sophist, Protagoras, a contemporary of Pericles. Protagoras held that "man is the measure of all things," and that agnosticism is the only appropriate attitude regarding the existence of gods. Contemporary epistemological relativism is probably best exemplified by the Postmodernists, who deny the possiblity of providing a justification for our knowledge and values. 

Contemporary ethical relativism can be traced to the Finnish

 

anthropologist, Edward Westermarck, and his books Ethical Relativity and The Origin and Development of the Moral Ideas.

Perhaps the most comprehensive and persuasive contemporary critique of both ethical and epistemological relativism was that launched by American philosopher Brand Blanshard.  His book Reason and Analysis subjects epistemological relativism to a critique so

 

thorough as to leave it in ruins, while Reason and Goodness accomplishes much the same thing with respect to ethical relativism.

A close cousin to relativism is "subjectivism", essentially the belief that all beliefs are purely matters of personal opinion.

For a discussion of relativism in the context of values, follow this link.

See also: subjectivism