relativism Definition
the belief that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute.
Using relativism: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "relativism" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
Relativism suggests that there is no universal truth.
Example
Moral relativism holds that ethical truths depend on the individuals and groups holding them.
Example
Cultural relativism asserts that cultural norms and values must be understood within their own social and historical contexts.
relativism Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for relativism
- subjectivism
- contextualism
- situationalism
Antonyms for relativism
Phrases with relativism
the idea that knowledge is always relative to a particular framework of assumptions, beliefs, and values
Example
Epistemological relativism argues that there is no objective knowledge outside of human interpretation.
the view that moral judgments are true or false only relative to some particular standpoint (for instance, that of a culture or a historical period) and that no standpoint is uniquely privileged over all others
Example
Moral relativism holds that there are no universal moral standards that apply to all cultures and societies.
the principle that an individual human's beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that individual's own culture
Example
Cultural relativism requires us to suspend our own cultural biases and try to understand other cultures on their own terms.
Summary: relativism in Brief
Relativism [ˈrelətɪvɪzəm] is the belief that knowledge, truth, and morality are not absolute but exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context. It can refer to epistemological relativism, which argues that knowledge is always relative to a particular framework of assumptions, beliefs, and values, or to moral and cultural relativism, which hold that moral and cultural norms are relative to specific contexts.
