more from this thinker
|
more from this text
Single Idea 4244
[filed under theme 13. Knowledge Criteria / E. Relativism / 6. Relativism Critique
]
Full Idea
Some people believe a properly relativist view requires you to be equally well disposed to everybody's ethical beliefs, but this is seriously confused, as relativism has led to a nonrelativist morality of universal toleration.
Gist of Idea
It is very confused to deduce a nonrelativist morality of universal toleration from relativism
Source
Bernard Williams (Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy [1985], Ch. 9)
Book Ref
Williams,Bernard: 'Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy' [Fontana 1985], p.159
A Reaction
Good point. This need not stop a relativist from passionately defending tolerance - it is only that the lack of rational support for the passion must be recognised.
The
19 ideas
with the same theme
[criticism of the idea that there are only points of view]:
606
|
Protagoras absurdly thought that the knowing or perceiving man is 'the measure of all things'
[Aristotle on Protagoras]
|
247
|
God is "the measure of all things", more than any man
[Plato on Protagoras]
|
612
|
Relativists think if you poke your eye and see double, there must be two things
[Aristotle on Protagoras]
|
335
|
Do the gods also hold different opinions about what is right and honourable?
[Plato]
|
2053
|
If you claim that all beliefs are true, that includes beliefs opposed to your own
[Plato]
|
2054
|
Clearly some people are superior to others when it comes to medicine
[Plato]
|
2059
|
How can a relativist form opinions about what will happen in the future?
[Plato]
|
20921
|
How can we state relativism of sweet and sour, if they have no determinate nature?
[Theophrastus]
|
576
|
If the majority had diseased taste, and only a few were healthy, relativists would have to prefer the former
[Aristotle]
|
7620
|
Some kind of objective 'rightness' is a presupposition of thought itself
[Putnam]
|
6398
|
Different points of view make sense, but they must be plotted on a common background
[Davidson]
|
4244
|
It is very confused to deduce a nonrelativist morality of universal toleration from relativism
[Williams,B]
|
4243
|
Our ability to react to an alien culture shows that ethical thought extends beyond cultural boundaries
[Williams,B]
|
2065
|
Not every person is the measure of all things, but only wise people
[Plato on Kim]
|
1550
|
Why didn't Protagoras begin by saying "a tadpole is the measure of all things"?
[Plato on Kim]
|
3857
|
Defeat relativism by emphasising truth and reference, not meaning
[Newton-Smith]
|
1577
|
Relativism is a disease which destroys the possibility of rational debate
[Roochnik]
|
3878
|
Why should you believe someone who says there are no truths?
[Scruton]
|
7066
|
If the world is just texts or social constructs, what are texts and social constructs?
[Heil]
|