relativism
REL-uh-tih-viz-um
/ˈrɛlətɪvɪzəm/
The doctrine that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute.
Asserts that moral claims are valid only within specific frameworks and lack universal objective validity.
The story behind the word. Emerging in 19th-century epistemology and anthropology from Latin 'relativus', relativism gained prominence as researchers observed dramatic cross-cultural variations in human moral customs.
Word relationships
- subjectivism: Subjectivism roots truth in individual subjective feeling, while relativism roots it in cultural or contextual frameworks.
- absolutism: Absolutism holds that moral principles are universal, objective, and unalterable regardless of context.
Commonly confused with
- nihilism: Nihilism claims moral values do not exist at all, whereas relativism holds that moral values exist relative to context.
Word family
- relativist (noun): An adherent of relativism
- relativistic (adjective): Based on or according with relativism
Collocations
- moral relativism
- cultural relativism
- embrace relativism
- reject relativism
Example sentences
- "Cultural relativism cautions researchers against evaluating indigenous practices through the lens of Western standards." Cultural anthropology paper
- "Opponents argue that radical moral relativism makes it impossible to condemn egregious human rights violations in other societies." Ethics seminar
Memory hook
RELATIVE = depends on context; RELATIVISM = truth/morality depends on relative cultural context. Morality depends on context.
When not to use
Do not confuse with moral nihilism; relativists believe moral rules exist, but that they depend on context.
Fun facts
- Protagoras presaged moral relativism in ancient Greece with his famous dictum: 'Man is the measure of all things.'
Related words
Explore more words
nihilism, Relativity, subjectivity, exclusivism, individualism, inclusivism
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