Moral and Epistemic Relativism

[dreadgeek]

Originally Posted by Emmy

Hiya,

So, instead of flagrantly derailing any more existing threads, I thought I'd start a new one. About relativism, concerning both what is right and what is true.

I'm curious about whether you think that what is morally right or what is true are relative either to cultural context or to individual perspective. Please feel free to treat either topic alone or to discuss both- whatever interests you.

My short answer is No. There are a lot of footnotes and disclaimers, but basically the answer, I think, is no. (Just as a personal aside, I find that this puts me in opposition, often, to those with whom I'm usually most closely politically aligned- that is, the left. )

I'll come back a bit later (after I finish yet another overdue assignment- ugh, what is wrong with me???), I think, and elaborate, but I thought I'd throw this out there now and just see if anyone was interested in the topic.

Thank you!

Emily

Oh, Emily, what have you done! Now you've got me started! My short answer is no, I don't think that many (perhaps most) questions of either moral (or ethical) and epistemic importance are relative. Like you, this puts me on the opposite side of people who are otherwise my natural political allies.

From a moral standpoint, it puts me at odds with people who are very well-meaning but come profoundly different answers on questions related to, say, how to answer the religious right. I believe that once you open the door to 'whatever you believe is true actually is true' you have just muted your moral voice.

Epistemic relativism is even more problematic for me and I have positively made a pest of myself on these (and other) message boards by insisting that while we can express whatever opinions we wish to, none of us are entitled to a different set of facts. According to epistemic relativism, if you *genuinely* believe that the Sun orbits the Earth then no one can really say you are wrong. However, I strenuously disagree with that idea because it is simply objectively true that the Sun is the gravitational center of this solar system and by any reasonable definition of gravity coming out of physics, it dominates its little area of warped-spacetime.

I have a LOT more I could say about this but I'll read through the thread before continuing on. I'd say "don't get me started" but it's too late for that now.