Tok Essay: There Are No Absolute Distinctions Between What Is True and What Is False
The claim “There are no absolute distinctions between what is true and what is false,” has been discussed for many years, and despite this fact people still haven’t agreed on a concrete answer. Some people deny the existence of “absolute truth” and believe that all points of view are equally valuable: this belief is called relativism. Others believe in the concept of “absolute truth,” and say that we can distinguish true from false: this belief is called absolutism. In order to understand the claim we need to study the different points of views, evaluate the way in which people acquire information, and lastly connect the claim to our own experiences to show an awareness of our own perspective.
The people who are supporters of the claim are referred to as relativists, and believe that all points of view should be valued equally. Relativism believes all points of view are affected by difference in perception – everyone has a biased opinion – and as a result no statement is considered more valid than others. A famous Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher and a follower of Relativism known by the name of Protagoras once said, “man is the measure of all things: of things which are, that they are, and of things which are not, that they are not.” He did not believe in the concept of “absolute truth” but rather argued that what someone defines as true depends on the individual; what might be true for some might not be true to others. According to relativist religion is a modern example of relativism. Christians are settled with the belief that Jesus Christ and God existed and consider this to be an example of an “absolute truth”; however, disputes start whenever Christians try to impose their beliefs and practices on other religions. Depending on the religion a person follows, they will have a different opinion about the existence of Jesus and God, and because of this relativists believe that this is an example of relativism rather than absolutism. There are several factors
The people who are supporters of the claim are referred to as relativists, and believe that all points of view should be valued equally. Relativism believes all points of view are affected by difference in perception – everyone has a biased opinion – and as a result no statement is considered more valid than others. A famous Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher and a follower of Relativism known by the name of Protagoras once said, “man is the measure of all things: of things which are, that they are, and of things which are not, that they are not.” He did not believe in the concept of “absolute truth” but rather argued that what someone defines as true depends on the individual; what might be true for some might not be true to others. According to relativist religion is a modern example of relativism. Christians are settled with the belief that Jesus Christ and God existed and consider this to be an example of an “absolute truth”; however, disputes start whenever Christians try to impose their beliefs and practices on other religions. Depending on the religion a person follows, they will have a different opinion about the existence of Jesus and God, and because of this relativists believe that this is an example of relativism rather than absolutism. There are several factors
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