Is there such thing as absolute truth?
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Refuting Relativism
Relativism
is the philosophical position that all points of view are equally valid and that all truth is relative to the individual.
But, if we look further, we see that this proposition is not logical. In fact, it is self refuting.
- All truth is
relative
- If all truth is relative,
then the statement "All truth is relative" would be absolutely true. If it is absolutely true, then not all things are relative
and the statement that "All truth is relative" is false.
- There are no
absolute truths
- The statement "There
are no absolute truths" is an absolute statement which is supposed to be true. Therefore it is an absolute truth and "There
are no absolute truths" is false.
- If there are no absolute
truths, then you cannot believe anything absolutely at all, including that there are no absolute truths. Therefore, nothing
could be really true for you - including relativism.
- What is true
for you is not true for me
- If what is true for
me is that relativism is false, then is it true that relativism is false?
- If you say no, then
what is true for me is not true and relativism is false.
- If you say yes, then
relativism is false.
- If you say that
it is true only for me that relativism is false, then
- I am believing something
other than relativism; namely, that relativism is false. If that is true, then how can relativism be true?
- am I believing a premise
that is true or false or neither?
- If it is true for me
that relativism is false, then relativism (within me) holds the position that relativism is false. This is self-contradictory.
- If it is false for me
that relativism is false, then relativism isn't true because what is true for me is not said to be true for me.
- If you say it is neither
true or false, then relativism isn't true since it states that all views are equally valid and by not being, at least true,
relativism is shown to be wrong.
- If I believe that relativism
is false, and if it is true only for me that it is false, then you must admit that it is absolutely true
that I am believing that relativism false.
- If you admit that it
is absolutely true that I am believing relativism is false, then relativism is defeated since you admit there is something
absolutely true.
- If I am believing in
something other than relativism that is true, then there is something other than relativism that is true - even if it is only
for me.
- If there is something
other than relativism that is true, then relativism is false.
- No one can know
anything for sure
- If that is true, then
we can know that we cannot know anything for sure which is self defeating.
- That is your
reality, not mine
- Is my reality really
real?
- If my reality is different
than yours, how can my reality contradict your reality? If yours and mine are equally real, how can two opposite realities
that exclude each other really exist at the same time?
- We all perceive
what we want
- How do you know that
statement is true?
- If we all perceive what
we want, then what are you wanting to perceive?
- If you say you want
to perceive truth, how do you know if you are not deceived?
- Simply desiring truth
is no proof you have it.
- You may not use logic
to refute relativism
- Why not?
- Can you give me a logical
reason why logic cannot be used?
- If you use relativism
to refute logic, then on what basis is relativism (that nothing is absolutely true) able to refute logic which is based upon
truth.
- If you use relativism
to refute logic, then relativism has lost its relative status since it is used to absolutely refute the truth of something
else.
- We are only perceiving
different aspects of the same reality.
- If our perceptions are contradictory, can either perception be trusted?
- Is truth self contradictory?
- If it were, then it wouldn't be true because it would be self refuting.
If something is self refuting, then it isn't true.
- If it is true that we are perceiving different aspects of the same
reality, then am I believing something that is false since I believe that your reality is not true? How then could they
be the same reality?
- If you are saying that it is merely my perception that is not true, then
relativism is refuted.
- If I am believing something that is false, then relativism is not
true since it holds that all views are equally valid.
- If my reality is that your reality is false, then both cannot be true.
If both are not true, then one of us (or both) is in error.
- If one or both of us is in error, then relativism is not true.
- Relativism itself
is excluded from the critique that it is absolute and self-refuting.
- On what basis do you simply exclude relativism from the critique of
logic?
- Is this an arbitrary act? If so, does it justify your position?
- If it is not arbitrary, what criteria did you use to exclude it?
- To exclude itself from the start is an admission of the logical problems
inherent in its system of thought.
Source: www.carm.org/relativism/relativism_refute.htm
Read more about
it: www.carm.org
Revealing article about Intelligent Design:
houseofdvorah.tripod.com/id
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