Table of Contents

Introduction 1. The Grounds of Relativism: A Plethora of Opinion 2. The Branches of Relativism: Classical to Modern 3. A Root of Relativism: Wittgenstein and Scepticism 4. A Root of Relativism: Winch and Culture 5. The Pluralist Tree: Rorty, Relativism, Diversity and Tolerance Bibliography

Promotional Information

Offering a comprehensive overview and introduction to the concept of relativism and relativistic arguments this book surveys important relativist philosophers, both classical and modern.

About the Author

Patrick Phillips teaches Philosophy at York University, Canada. In 2004 he won the York International Education Award.

Reviews

"...covering relativism...in 150 pages is an impossible task. In that light, the wide-ranging promises given at the beginning of this book are rather surprising...One of the book's main weaknesses is its lack of organization and focus. Phillips does not fulfill his first promise in any systematic way...A good part of the book is dedicated to showing how various versions of relativism fall prey to the accusation of incoherence. However, these versions are ultimately fairly similar and all seem to boil down to some branch of the claim that truth in general is relative. There is no mention of weaker versions of relativism in a short book, but an acknowledgement from the author of the existence of other types of relativism, and clarification that it is by no means a given that his objections to relativism apply to all of them, might have been helpful." -Eyja M. Brynjarsdottir, Philosophy in Review, 2007
*Negative*

"An innovative and eminently readable re-engagement with the "evergreen" challenge relativism poses to epistemological projects." - Lorraine Code, Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy, York University, Canada

"In this accessible and closely argued work the author gives a clear elucidation of relativism in its various formulations and enactments accompanied with a useful catalogue of counter arguments." - Stuart Shanker, Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy and Psychology, York University, Canada