Relativism (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what relativism is, its origin and characteristics. Furthermore, cognitive, moral, cultural and linguistic relativism.

What is relativism?

It is called relativism philosophical position that considers truth in relative terms Relativism thinks that true and false, and good and bad are concepts relative to a certain point of view and context.

The properties given to things or situations are determined by the way we approach them. For relativism, truth is not something fixed and static but rather something dynamic, one truth among many others.

Relativism has many ways of manifesting itself. For example, in the moral, cultural and scientific fields it is possible to find relativist positions.

Relativism is opposed to objectivism which is the set of theories that maintain that truth is one, immutable and autonomous.

History of relativism

Relativism has existed at least since ancient Greece. Its greatest defenders were the sophists, masters of rhetoric and intellectual enemies of the great classical philosophers such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.

For the sophists, truth was relative to how it was shown in a speech. These thinkers could argue for or against any argument as long as they were given enough space in the discourse. So much so, that Gorgias of Leontinos was able to write the Commendation of Elenaan argumentative work that explained why Helen could not be blamed for the Trojan War.

Characteristics of relativism

In general, relativism is characterized, as a philosophical position, by affirming that there are many truths:

Reject the idea that there is only one truth and that it is objective (unrelated to personal ideas).
He maintains that the truth must be understood by its context.
It does not aim to validate all opinions but rather to question the enunciative power of truth.
It can take many forms depending on the area in which it is applied (cognitive, moral or cultural).
He maintains that knowledge is conditioned by culture, ethics, politics, geography and individual preconceptions.

Types of relativism

There are different ways of thinking about relativism, such as cognitive, cultural or moral relativism. Although they all coincide in their approach to the truth, each expresses different aspects of the use that can be given to relativism.

Cognitive relativism. It works with all possible systems of thought, in which the existence of a universal truth is not contemplated. For this form of relativism, it is impossible to formulate a universally valid truth, since the truth varies depending on the subject of enunciation. Subjectivism is a form of cognitive relativism.
Cultural or moral relativism. Work with the ability to distinguish good from evil. For cultural relativism there is no positive or negative value in ideas alone, but rather the value judgment lies in the person who states them. It states that there are equally valid cultural values, supported by a specific context, time and geography. An ethical dilemma can have multiple answers depending on the place or context in which they are formulated.
Linguistic relativism. It works with a set of linguistic hypotheses about the impact of the mother tongue on the mind and learning, within a cultural framework of reference. According to linguistic relativism, two people who speak different languages can conceptualize reality in different ways without any of them being “correct” or “true.”