Overview
- Details a new relativistic approach to epistemology
- Offers a defense of a viable epistemological relativism
- Examines central issues related to epistemological relativism
Part of the book series: Synthese Library (SYLI, volume 419)
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Table of contents (8 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
This book offers new insights into truth, knowledge, and reality. It details a unique approach to epistemological relativism based on the concept of points of view. In a point of view, an aspect represents an object for a subject. By applying this concept of points of view, the author develops a consistent and adequate form of relativism, called viewpoint relativism, according to which epistemic questions like “Is X true (or justified or existing)” are viewpoint-dependent.
The monograph examines central issues related to epistemological relativism. It analyzes major arguments pro and con from different opinions. The author presents the arguments of well-known philosophers. These include such thinkers as Paul Boghossian, John Dewey, Nelson Goodman, Martin Kusch, C.I. Lewis, John MacFarlane, Hilary Putnam, W.V.O. Quine, Richard Rorty, John Searle, and Ludwig Wittgenstein. In the process, the author deconstructs the standard account of correspondence theoryof truth. Viewpoint relativism is a moderate relativism, which is not subjected to standard criticism of extreme relativism. This book argues that knowledge creation presupposes openness to different points of view and their comparison. It also explores the broader implications of viewpoint relativism into current debate about truth in society. The author defends a critical relativism, which accepts pluralism but is critical against all points of view. In the conclusion, he explores the relevance of viewpoint relativism to democracy by showing that the main threat of modern democratic society is not pluralism but absolutism and fundamentalism.Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Viewpoint Relativism
Book Subtitle: A New Approach to Epistemological Relativism based on the Concept of Points of View
Authors: Antti Hautamäki
Translated by: Michelle Mamane
Series Title: Synthese Library
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34595-2
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-34594-5Published: 29 January 2020
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-34597-6Published: 29 January 2021
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-34595-2Published: 28 January 2020
Series ISSN: 0166-6991
Series E-ISSN: 2542-8292
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVI, 210
Number of Illustrations: 10 b/w illustrations
Topics: Epistemology, Ontology, Philosophy of Science