back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 4701

[from 'Relativism' by Paul O'Grady, in 3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 1. Truth ]

Full Idea

Weak alethic relativism holds that while a statement may be true in one framework, it is inexpressible in another. Strong alethic relativism is where a sentence is true relative to one framework, but false relative to another.

Clarification

'Alethic' means 'concerning truth'

Gist of Idea

To say a relative truth is inexpressible in other frameworks is 'weak', while saying it is false is 'strong'

Source

Paul O'Grady (Relativism [2002], Ch.2)

Book Reference

O'Grady,Paul: 'Relativism' [Acumen 2002], p.36


A Reaction

The weak version will be Kuhn's 'incommensurability' of scientific theories, while the strong version will be full Protagorean relativism, saying all beliefs are true.