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Viewpoint RelativismPoints of View and Relativism

Viewpoint Relativism: Points of View and Relativism [This chapter defines the central concept of this book, the point of view. The development of viewpoint relativism is largely based on this concept. A point of view is defined as choosing a certain aspect of its object to represent it. In principle, points of view are subjective and they are anchored to the internal cognitive models of a person. But points of view can also be objectified linguistically and brought out to be publicly examined. Points of view are not permanent, but can be changed and developed, and even exchanged in certain cases. Points of view are not true or untrue as such, but the maps that are acquired through their adoption are more or less true. We can compare objectified points of view, which allows us to avoid the incommensurability often connected with perspectives and conceptual frameworks. As examples of points of view, I will examine Thomas Nagel’s anthropocentric cosmology and Karl Marx’s theory of dialectic contradictions. I define viewpoint relativism as the hypothesis of the viewpoint-dependency of epistemic questions; it is a testable theory. Finally, I will discuss the critique and defence of relativism at the end of the chapter, and reject the claim that relativism cannot be rationally defended.] http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

Viewpoint RelativismPoints of View and Relativism

Part of the Synthese Library Book Series (volume 419)
Hautamäki, Antti
Viewpoint Relativism — Jan 29, 2020
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Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Copyright
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020. Originally published in 2018 in Finnish language by the University of Jyväskylä with the title: Näkökulmarelativismi Tiedon suhteellisuuden ongelma
ISBN
978-3-030-34594-5
Pages
37 –73
DOI
10.1007/978-3-030-34595-2_3
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

[This chapter defines the central concept of this book, the point of view. The development of viewpoint relativism is largely based on this concept. A point of view is defined as choosing a certain aspect of its object to represent it. In principle, points of view are subjective and they are anchored to the internal cognitive models of a person. But points of view can also be objectified linguistically and brought out to be publicly examined. Points of view are not permanent, but can be changed and developed, and even exchanged in certain cases. Points of view are not true or untrue as such, but the maps that are acquired through their adoption are more or less true. We can compare objectified points of view, which allows us to avoid the incommensurability often connected with perspectives and conceptual frameworks. As examples of points of view, I will examine Thomas Nagel’s anthropocentric cosmology and Karl Marx’s theory of dialectic contradictions. I define viewpoint relativism as the hypothesis of the viewpoint-dependency of epistemic questions; it is a testable theory. Finally, I will discuss the critique and defence of relativism at the end of the chapter, and reject the claim that relativism cannot be rationally defended.]

Published: Jan 29, 2020

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