Relativism

[32k]

Thoughts on relativism?

EDIT:

To help stimulate discussion more I'll throw in a few claims often associated with Relativism. Feel free to give your thoughts on them:

All truth is relative
There are no absolute truths
What is true for you is not true for me
No one can know anything for sure
We all perceive what we want
We perceive different aspects of the same reality

 

[DollIsMine]

There are many kinds of relativism. Which one are you referring to?

 

[32k]

Any and all.

 

[ChristianT]

Any and all.

Exactly, in my own opinion.

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

Any and all.

I'm a big fan of Einstein's theories of relativity.

 

[32k]

Forgive me. I assumed that since this was in Philosophy that those responding would understand that the Relativism i refer to is none other than...

"...the concept that points of view have no absolute truth or validity, having only relative, subjective value according to differences in perception and consideration." - wikipedia

There are of course varying degrees of relativism as well. Those that reject absolute truth altogether etc.

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

Forgive me. I assumed that since this was in Philosophy that those responding would understand that the Relativism i refer to is none other than...

"...the concept that points of view have no absolute truth or validity, having only relative, subjective value according to differences in perception and consideration." - wikipedia

There are of course varying degrees of relativism as well. Those that reject absolute truth altogether etc.

I knew what you meant. But you did say "any and all"...

For what it's worth, the reason why the theories of relativity are called such is because they establish the idea that there is no such thing as absolute time. Therefore, they also deal with relativism, just on a more literal basis than what you were possibly expecting.

 

[Raiyuu]

I hate it! >:[

 

[renewed21]

Thoughts on relativism?

= hedonism/nihilism

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

= hedonism/nihilism

In a way, hedonism is already the basis of all human action.

 

[Gottservant]

Everything's relative...

...but you don't want to marry a relative... do you?

Ergo, everything being relative does not make being relative important.

 

[Redac]

= hedonism/nihilism

Not the same thing.

 

[rcorlew]

I find relativism to actually be self defeating. When you add the "ism" you absolutize something, meaning that now being relative is absolute. You could say that the state of relative exists and that most things are relative but not all things are always relative otherwise being relative would then be relative would could also make it absolute.

So in a nutshell, I file relativism in the non-existent category and keep "some things are relative some of the time" which actually reflects reality.

 

[Paradoxum]

Well I think truth exists and there are moral truths.

 

[dysert]

Well I think truth exists and there are moral truths.

Agreed. Some questions are: what are these truths, where do they come from, how can we know them, are they truth for all time or changeable, etc.

 

[Paradoxum]

Agreed. Some questions are: what are these truths, where do they come from, how can we know them, are they truth for all time or changeable, etc.

We can know them by understanding the evidence (science, history) and reason (philosophy). Some things change, and some things stay the same.

 

[quatona]

Well I think truth exists and there are moral truths.

When you say "truth" - do you think of it as that which we strive to relate to or as a relationship between us (our minds, our understanding, our interpretation) and that which is out there?

 

[SavedByChrist94]

relativism in moral sense, is false as things like murder, rape, violence, deception, etc are Objectively wrong.

"relativism" is immoral

 

[Paradoxum]

When you say "truth" - do you think of it as that which we strive to relate to or as a relationship between us (our minds, our understanding, our interpretation) and that which is out there?

Well, I think there is truth to move towards, but we can never know anything 100% except for the fact that we experience experience.

 

[quatona]

Well, I think there is truth to move towards, but we can never know anything 100% except for the fact that we experience experience.

My question probably wasn´t clear. It was a mere definition question (I am aware that asking for definitions can be annoying, but often they really help me understand better).
What I tried to ask was: In your use of the word "truth" - do you use it as a mere synonym for "fact" (the way things are) or as a synonym for "knowledge" (i.e. us accurately relating to the fact)?
IOW: is the world out there "true", or is an accurate statement about the world out there "true"?
Or, again in other words, when you say "Truth exists", do you mean to say that "things are (objectively) a certain way", or rather "one can be correct about the way things are"?
Or, again differently: Does "truth" signify that to which we relate or the relationship itself? (In the first case "truth" would be there even if we weren´t or would ever have been. In the second case it would require someone to be in hold of this "truth.)

(I am - at least at this point - NOT asking the question to which degree one can possibly be correct).

In your response you confuse me even more: "experiencing experience" appears to use "experience" in two entirely different meanings.