The thirty-three essays in Relativism: A Contemporary Anthology grapple with one of the most intriguing, enduring, and far-reaching philosophical problems of our age. Relativism comes in many varieties. It is often defined as the belief that truth, goodness, or beauty is relative to some context or reference frame, and that no absolute standards can adjudicate between competing reference frames. Michael Krausz’s anthology captures the significance and range of relativistic doctrines, rehearsing their virtues and vices and reflecting on a spectrum of attitudes. Invoking diverse philosophical orientations, these doctrines concern conceptions of relativism in relation to facts and conceptual schemes, realism and objectivity, universalism and foundationalism, solidarity and rationality, pluralism and moral relativism, and feminism and poststructuralism. Featuring nine original essays, the volume also includes many classic articles, making it a standard resource for students, scholars, and researchers. Table of Contents: Foreword by Alan RyanPrefaceIntroductionMichael KrauszPart I. Orienting Relativism 1. Mapping RelativismsMichael Krausz2. A Brief History of RelativismMaria BaghramianPart II. Relativism, Truth, and Knowledge 3. Subjective, Objective, and Conceptual RelativismsMaurice Mandelbaum4. Just the Facts, Ma'am! Nelson Goodman5. Relativism in Philosophy of ScienceNancy Cartwright6. The Truth About RelativismJoseph Margolis7. Making Sense of Relative TruthJohn MacFarlane8. On the Very Idea of a Conceptual SchemeDonald Davidson9. Truth and Convention: On Davidson’s Refutation of Conceptual RelativismHilary Putnam10. Conceptual SchemesSimon Blackburn11. Relativizing the FactsPaul A. Boghossian12. Targets of Anti-Relativist ArgumentsHarvey Siegel13. Realism and RelativismAkeel BilgramiPart III. Moral Relativism, Objectivity, and Reasons 14. Moral Relativism DefendedGilbert Harman15. The Truth in RelativismBernard Williams16. Pluralism and AmbivalenceDavid B. Wong17. The Relativity of Fact and the Objectivity of ValueCatherine Z. Elgin18. Senses of Moral RelativityDavid Wiggins19. Ethical Relativism and the Problem of IncoherenceDavid Lyons20. Understanding Alien MoralsGopal Sreenivasan21. Value: Realism and ObjectivityThomas Nagel22. Intuitionism, Realism, Relativism, and RhubarbCrispin Wright23. Moral Relativism and Moral RealismRuss Schafer-LandauPart IV. Relativism, Culture, and Understanding 24. Anti Anti-RelativismClifford Geertz25. Solidarity or Objectivity?Richard Rorty26. Relativism, Power, and PhilosophyAlasdair MacIntyre27. Internal Criticism and Indian Rationalist TraditionsMartha C. Nussbaum and Amartya Sen28. Phenomenological Rationality and the Overcoming of RelativismJitendra N. Mohanty29. Understanding and EthnocentricityCharles Taylor30. Relativism and Cross-Cultural UnderstandingKwame Anthony Appiah31. Relativism, Persons, and PracticesAmelie Oksenberg Rorty32. One What? Relativism and PoststructuralismDavid Couzens Hoy33. Must a Feminist Be a Relativist After All?Lorraine CodeList of ContributorsIndex
