relativism

American  

[rel-uh-tuh-viz-uhm] / ˈrɛl ə təˌvɪz əm /

noun

Philosophy.

1. any theory holding that criteria of judgment are relative, varying with individuals and their environments.

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relativism British  

/ ˈrɛlətɪˌvɪzəm /

noun

1. any theory holding that truth or moral or aesthetic value, etc, is not universal or absolute but may differ between individuals or cultures See also historicism

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relativism Cultural  

1. The doctrine that no ideas or beliefs are universally true but that all are, instead, “relative” — that is, their validity depends on the circumstances in which they are applied.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• relativist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of relativism

First recorded in 1860–65; relative + -ism

Explanation

Relativism is the belief that there's no absolute truth, only the truths that a particular individual or culture happen to believe. If you believe in relativism, then you think different people can have different views about what's moral and immoral. Understandably, relativism makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Is it morally okay for some cultures to have slaves, for example? Cultural relativists might argue yes. Einstein, in particular, caused a lot of problems with his Theory of Relativity that stated that even time and space were relative concepts depending on where an observer happened to be. Of course, you might argue that relativism itself is a belief only a certain individual or culture happens to believe in. Tough stuff, philosophy.

Example Sentences

Relativism, of course, synced perfectly with the narcissism and subjectivity that had been on the rise, from Tom Wolfe’s “Me Decade” 1970s, on through the selfie age of self-esteem.

From The Guardian • Jul. 14, 2018

Relativism and scepticism have been perenially associated, but relativism is not a nihilistic, but a deeply realistic philosophy; it is just the sceptic's natural realism.

From The Will to Doubt An essay in philosophy for the general thinker by Lloyd, Alfred H.

Subjectivism Originally Associated with Relativism and Scepticism 267 § 127.

From The Approach to Philosophy by Perry, Ralph Barton