relativism

noun rel·a·tiv·ism \ ˈre-lə-ti-ˌvi-zəm \

|Updated on: 27 May 2018

1 a : a theory that knowledge is relative to the limited nature of the mind and the conditions of knowing

b : a view that ethical truths depend on the individuals and groups holding them

2 : relativity

—

relativist

play \ˈre-lə-tə-vist\ noun

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Recent Examples of relativism from the Web

Today, the lens represents a struggle between objectivity and relativism.

— allain daigle, The Atlantic, "How the 50-mm Lens Became ‘Normal’," 13 May 2018
There is space within the Catholic tradition for a kind of situational ethics that doesn’t automatically collapse into moral relativism.

— tara isabella burton, Vox, "The conservative case against Pope Francis — and why it matters," 5 Apr. 2018
Still, by challenging moral relativism more broadly, Douthat nonetheless raises an important point.

— tara isabella burton, Vox, "The conservative case against Pope Francis — and why it matters," 5 Apr. 2018
Some might blame the truth-disparaging theories that have long been incubating in certain corners of the academy, which go by the names of relativism and postmodernism.

— rebecca newberger goldstein, WSJ, "Truth Isn’t the Problem—We Are," 15 Mar. 2018
Walter Kempowski, who was born in 1929 and died in 2007, was a lifelong investigator of this kind of private relativism.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Walter Kempowski’s Epic Novel of Germany in Collapse," 21 Mar. 2016
Such relativism often breeds nihilism, something of which Ball has been accused.

— ellie robins, latimes.com, "Jesse Ball's 'Census' is an understated tale of a father and son taking stock of America," 9 Mar. 2018
The filial correction alleged that Pope Francis committed seven heresies regarding his teachings on divorce and remarriage and moral relativism.

— tyler arnold, National Review, "Pope Francis’s Controversial Step on Communion for the Divorced and Remarried," 12 Dec. 2017
The effort by the extreme left to not only silence the scientific community but to reject the validity of the scientific method is of course the logical and inevitable result of the postmodernist embrace of moral relativism and deconstructionism.

— WSJ, "Two Takes on Science and Evergreen State," 9 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'relativism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of relativism

1865

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Other Philosophy Terms

dialectic, dualism, epistemology, existentialism, metaphysics, ontology, sequitur, solipsism, transcendentalism

RELATIVISM Defined for English Language Learners

relativism

noun

: the belief that different things are true, right, etc., for different people or at different times

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See words that rhyme with relativism Spanish Central: Translation of relativism Nglish: Translation of relativism for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about relativism

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