Sterling Terrell

smart ideas from books (mostly)

  • Home
  • About
    • My CV
    • Books
    • Series
  • Newsletter
  • Advertising
  • Tools
You are here: Home / Potpourri / The Problem With Relativism

The Problem With Relativism

The Problem With Relativism

The problem with relativism is that that – well – it’s relative.

No really, hear me out.

When someone says, “what is right for you is not necessarily right for me” or “what is right for culture X is not necessarily right for culture Y” they turn the world on its head without even realizing it.

For how can you push back against evil without having a firm grasp on what evil is in the first place?

You need ethics to live – not morals.

Pragmatism and majority is not the same as right and wrong.

It turns out that a “civil” society has considered these notions deeply.

And to keep society civil – you have to live this way too – even while you quote Marx without understanding it as you sip Starbucks lattes from the comfort of your trust fund.

This brain trust had come to believe that the pragmatism of John Dewey, who had been the dominant intellectual force at Chicago in previous generations, “was vulgar, ‘relativistic,’ and self-refuting. As they pointed out over and over again, Dewey had no absolutes.” This lack made him useless: “Only an appeal to something eternal, absolute, and good—like the God of St Thomas, or the ‘nature of human beings’ described by Aristotle—would permit one to answer the Nazis, to justify one’s choice of social democracy over fascism.”

-Alan Jacobs, The Year Of Our Lord 1943 (Amazon)

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: PotpourriTagged With: #Ethics, #Morality

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy Policy

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Notifications of all new posts by email.

Connect

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Search

Top Posts

  • The Tricky Lily Pad Riddle (You Probably Can't Solve)
    The Tricky Lily Pad Riddle (You Probably Can't Solve)
  • Can You Solve The Bat And Ball Riddle?
    Can You Solve The Bat And Ball Riddle?
  • Another Great Riddle For You To Try
    Another Great Riddle For You To Try
  • Instabooks 146
    Instabooks 146
  • Intentionally Wrong?
    Intentionally Wrong?
  • Sentience vs Consciousness
    Sentience vs Consciousness
  • Our Mercenary Heart
    Our Mercenary Heart
  • Mercy, Elevation Worship & Maverick City
    Mercy, Elevation Worship & Maverick City
  • Tesla Model S
    Tesla Model S
  • What It Takes
    What It Takes

Supporting = Loving

Buy Me a Coffee

Recent Posts

  • Tesla Model S
  • Brandon Hays First Sermon @ The Church At Harpeth Heights
  • How To Make A Clay Pot
  • My Reading Advice
  • Sometimes It’s Fun Being A

Copyright © 2023 · Generate Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in